Character Upkeep

The standard annual upkeep of a character is equal to the square of their their levelin gp (£). Due to the fact that there are 12 sp in each gp, this is also the monthly upkeep of the character. Either assumes that the character is in a somewhat settled situation. If the character is living day-to-day then they may pay this fee in cp, but this works out to be 50% more expensive since there are 20 cp in each cp, but 30 days in each month (not accounting for the standard festivals).

A character is free to spend more than this amount and appear to be of higher status than they would normally appear to be. Conspicuous consumption is in fact encouraged; a miser that hoards their money may be wealthy but will not generally be treated as being wealthy (except by thieves wanting to steal their hoard).

If the character cannot pay their full upkeep over the year they are considered "poor." Their clothing and equipment will not be replaced as normal and will show the signs of their poor status; it will gain the fragile attribute for each of the levels the character is short paying their full annual upkeep (round up). This is the number of d6 that are rolled each month to determine whether a piece of the character's equipment need's repair [d6:1-3], breaks [4-5]. or is otherwise lost [6]. One piece of equipment will be affected for each roll. In choosing what equipment is affected, generally choose the most expensive piece of equipment the character owns. However if the character has hirelings, they will be the first to be lost, then henchmen. If a character has a stronghold, then this will generally be the first thing lost.

A character cabn choose to live at a lower social status, but will be treated as if that is their status. However note that as player characters start at second level their minimum assumed status is that of a townsman (£4 upkeep). This entitles them to certain benefits in society, such as freedom to travel and bear common weapons. Living on less than this amount may cause legal problems for the character.

Certain costs to the character may be expressed in terms of the character's upkeep. For example, the cost of an extra outfit is generally equal to the character's monthly upkeep. although court clothing may cost a character an amount equal to their yearly upkeep. And a dress for that royal ball, even more. Note that your normal clothing is technically replaced each year (as long as the character pays their upkeep).

Comparison with standard upkeep

The following table list the standard annual upkeep by social class and rank. Note that this upkeep is automatically included in the wages provided by their employment, although generally not in terms of actual money, but rather kind. Support may be just for the individual themselves, the individual and a spouse, of the individual and their family. Note that no rebate is provided if the character lacks a spouse or family; they are assumed to be working to eae costs.

The upkeep for a character can be directly comparedto these values. For example a starting character is considered to be the equivalent of a townsmen, and thus generally has a right to travel and a right to bear arms. Remember that the highest level character in this game is 12th, with an annual upkeep of £144, although it is entirely probably that such a character will have acquired a much more important position with a higher upkeep )fortunately provided by that position. Not that characters that have a formal position get "free" ipkeep at the appropriate level.

Social Rank	Annual Upkeep
Beggar [1]	£0
Peasant [2]	£1
Freeman [3]	£2
Townsman [4]	£4
Guildsman [5]	£8
Official [6]	£16
Gentry [7]	£32
Baron [8]	£64
Count [9]	£125
Duke [10]	£250
Prince [11]	£500
King	£1,000
High King	£2,000
Great King	£4,000
Minor Emperor	£8,000
Emperor	£16,000
Great Emperor	£32,000
World Emperor	£64,000
Galactic Emperor	£125,000
Cosmic Emperor [12]	£250,000

[1] A beggar does not need to pay upkeep but is required to make monthly survival skill tess to find shelter and food and avoid trouble with the authorities. An urban beggar usually requires a small city or greater to be eligible to make these rolls, unless the settlement has a poorhouse (or similar institution), generally sponsored by a religion that believes in charity to the poor. A beggar can also live in the wilderness as a hermit, living off the land. However this is often considered illegal by the noble that owns the land.

[2] Your typical peasant is not free and usually bound to the land (either through serfdom, slavery or tenancy). This is also the level of upkeep required for basic servants and slaves, labourers, and apprentices.

[3] The rural freeman or village elder. These usually have a rural job. This is also the upkeep required of a typical servant or slave or worker.

[4] A tradesman (owner of a non-guild business) in a town, or a salaried journeyman will typically have this level of upkeep. Also includes seniorr servants and slaves and skilled workers who are not guildsman. A rural master will also requirethis level of upkeep (living in the country is cheaper).

[5] The master in a guild (owner of a guild business) or junior official.

[6] A guild official (such as guildmaster, treasurer, or secretary), or a town or city official, such as a magistrate. A junior royal official.

[7] The owner of an estate, mine, or wealthy business. A knight. The mayor of a town or small city. A royal official. In general, a non-noble person of quality.

[8] Someone that holds a large estate directly from the sovereign. Note at this and higher levels it may be difficult to maintain this status without actually holding the appropriate title.

[9] A rich baron.

[10] A rich count.

[11] This refers to a sovereign prince (or poor king), such as the ruler of a city-state, rather than the son of a king (whose upkeep is provided as part of the king's family).

[12] Yes I am being ridiculous, but technically it is a game-approved rank within the aristocratic caste. Also at these levels the character's holding require much more in maintainance than the character's upkeep. Those planet-sized palaces for galactic emeprors are not cheap to keep clean.

Saving Throws

In MyD&D saving throws are performed by making a Difficult skill test (d30) against the appropriate characteristic.

Saving Throw	Characteristic
Save vs Paralysis & Petrification	STR
Save versus Poison & Death	CON
Save versus Breathe & Blast	DEX
Save vs Sorcery & Spells	INT
Save vs Magic	WPR
Save vs Fear & Charm	CHA

Choice of Saving Throw: The choice of what saving throw is made is determined by the player, depending on the nature of the attack and the character's response to it. For example when attacked by a wand of paralysis the character could respond by taking cover (a save versus magic [INT]), dodging the attqck (a save versus blast or breathe [DEX]), resisting the magic of the wand (a save versus spells [WPR]), or resisting the effect itself (a save versus paralysis {STR]). The character can only save once, so they will usually choose the ebst save they have. Note that some saves may be more difficult than others. For example dodging out of the way of an area effect attack is usually performed by halving the character's DEX score, unless the character actively attempts to use movement to get out of the area of effect.

Amulets of Protection: A common form of magical enchantment is a protection against a certain attack form. These do not provide a bonus directly, but instead reduce the difficulty of the saving throw to normal. For example a sword might grant the user protection vs magic, which will cause the user to save vs magic by making a d20 throw against WPR. Some protections may be more limited in scope, only protecting against specific forms of atatck. Note that enchantments applied to items that are already protective in nature (shields, armour, and amulets) may grant the yser increased protection with their use (such as a shield being used to take physically take cover from a dragon's breath weapon attack. The majority of protection enchantments are of the fourth rank (Grade D; +2).

Amulets of Protection 2: Amulets of Greater Protection provide full immunity against the specified attack form. These are normally Magic Items of the Second Rank (Grade B; +4), although if they simply protect against elemental forms of attack they can be created as Magic Items of the Third Rank (Grade C;+3). In any case it requires the appropriate Elemental Forge to create them, and they almost always take the form of amulets, rather than an enchantment on another device. Note that they may have collateral effects, such as preventing the user from making use of the element that they protect against. In game terms these convert any appropriate saving throw to Easy difficvulty (automatically successful unless the user is crippled in that characteristic). Note that these amulets also negate half damage on a failed save.

[Design Notes]: Remember that in MyD&D the character's characteristics increase as the character levels. This allows the saving throws to reasonably match those used in OD&D for the various classes. This version is slightly different from the one playtrested in my game in that the INT save used to be Save vs Wands & Staves and the WPR save used to be Save vs Magic &aamp; Spells. Note that I have added a sixth save (Save vs Fear & Charm), both to complete the tableau, but also because undead in my game tend to have an aura of fear that affects mortals.

Roads

The road access to a settlement is pretty important as it not only governs ease of access to the settlement, but also the trade and inns supported by the settlement. As normal, local level is determined by rolling 1d6, regional level is determined by rolling 2d6, kingdom level is determined by rolling 3d6, all capped by the level of the settlement. Note that within a settlement the grade of road may be higher than the road that accesses it. Also magical construction may substitute for certain materials. For example mud to rock may replace concrete in a road's construction, although the advice of an engineer may still be required. to ensure durability.

Level	Road Type
13+	Imperial Highway (AA+)
11-12	Royal Road (A)
9-10	Military Road (B)
7-8	Paved Road (C)
5-6	Gravelled Road (D)
3-4	Dirt Road (E)
1-2	Track (F)

Track (F)

This is a simple track winding through the terrain to the settlement. It is simply made by the locals traversing the path repeatedly. Generally not suitable for the passage of wheeled vehicles, especially in difficult terrain such as forests, jungles, badlands, and mountains. Note that if the settlement is concealed (such as a bandit camp), then the road will also generally be concealed. Trade is not a factor at this grade of road.

Dirt Road (E)

A formal right of way consisting of levelled earth, with very little additional improvemkents. The surface is not particularly robust and often marked by ruts made by the farm carts that make use of use it. During bad weather the road surface often turns to mud, especially when subjected to heavy traffic (such as moving troops along it). Trade is entirely local, moving farm (or other) produce to roads connecting larger settlements. The Romans referred to this type of road as via terrene (literally "dirt road").

Gravelled Road (D)

The surface of the road has been hardened by the simple addition of gravel. This makes the road more durable but it still requires considerable annual maintenance. Minor improvements, such as small drainage ditches and walls around fields, may be included. Streams and the like are generally crossed by fords. The Romans called this type of road via glareata. May also include variations such as corduroy roads, where logs are laid into the earth. Trade is common, and rural inns (of limited capacity) may line the road.

Paved Road (C)

The first true multi-layer road construction. The earth has been levelled and a layer of gravel added to provide drainage. The surface is then covered by paving stones to provide a durable hard surface. Relatively expensive to make and does require maintenance to avoid potholes. Streams are crossed by culverts and rivers are crossed by wooden bridges or ferries. The road is generally cambered and often feature drainage ditches to carry the water away. In hilly terrain the road may split into a high road and a low road. The low road goes around the terrain and is thus easier on any draught animals, but may be closed by bad weather. the high road goes over terrain, which means less goods can be carried, but are generally usable even in bad weather. A modern tarmac road would be considered to be of this grade.

Military Road (B)

A pit is dug and filled with rocks, rubble, and sand. A layer of gravel is added and tamped down to aid drainage. Paving stones set in cement are then laid over the gravel to create a very durable all-weather surface. Very expensive to construct. Many improvements are part of the construction, such as wide verges and a good drainage system to carry water away from the road. Rivers are generally crossed by stone bridges, and the road may pass through cuttings in the terrain. The Romans called them via munita and are what most people think of when the term Roman road is mentioned. Unless raided by locals for building materials they can last a long time. Large inns and carriage houses can be found along it catering to both travellers and merchants. There are often watchtowers and small forts to guard the road and perform checks on travellers.

Royal Road (A)

Like a military road, but with additional layers of concrete, sand and cement on top, and finished with closely-fitted paving stones on top. The mopre layers, the more durable the road, and the more expensive it is to make. Generally elevated above the surrounding terrain, with lots of improvements. It may even cross small valleys via an elevated viaduct to ensure that the road is as level as possible. Shrines may also be built along the road to protect travellers.

Imperial Highway (AA+)

This type of road is definitely making a statement of imperial power. The higher the grade, the more fantastical the highway. Perhaps it might have multiple levels for the different castes to travel upon, separated from their lessers. Or magical improvements may be included to aid travel along it or protect those who use it.

Clothing Makes The Man (MyD&D)

Everything has a level in MyS^amp;D. This especially includes executive positions in the hierarchy. For example your typical bishop of a mostly rural bishopric is 6th level in the religious hierarchy, whilst an ordinary king is 12th level in the aristocratic hiierarchy. So how can a ordinary person, who is at most 4th level, occupy these postions?

The answer is regalia.

Regalia

Regalia is essentially a special outfit that boosts the character's statsuslevel when worn. As such it is essentially conidered tp be +0 magic otems made by a tailor. As such they give the character a status boost in appropriate situations equal to the normal bonus that the craftsman procvides. Since these are normally drefined by custom the appropriate bonus are predetermined, but require finding a tailor of the appropriate level. Fortunateley an ordinary tailor is considered to be common, so they are easy enough to find in an appropriate location that supports their existence. Assuming one can pay the raw material cost (which,given the technology of the time, woukld be heavily weighted towards the labour as wella s the materials' embroidery is very time intensive).

Regalia	Bonus	Location
Royal	+5	Royal City (A+)
Princely	+4	Large City (B+)
Noble	+3	Medium City (C+)
Official	+2	Small City (D+)
Uniform	+1	Town (D+)

For example a bishop is considered a noble of the church, so the standard bishop robes provide a +3 bonus to the character's leve;, meaning the bishop of a rural diocese is at least 3rd level, whilst one of a rich diocese is at least 4th level. Being a ubiform of sorts, if the character is of hiher level they still hav to wear the robes even if they are already of the 6th level or higher. It will just make them more notable attendee at a bishop's conclave (perhaps leading to the idea that they deserve a more presitiod diocese).

However the +5 status boost provided by a king's robes of state is generally not sufficient to propel a 4th level character to 12th level. For that we need to combine it with a crown, which is a special piece of regalia made by a jeweller. Again, a crown is a +0 magic item made by a jeweller this time, but unlike most jewellry, because it is considered a uniform of sorts it provides its status boost in addition to the special outfit. So a royal crown, combined with a the robes of state, can increase a characters level by +10.

Note that regalia only needs to be worn in the appropriate ceremonial situation to "secure" a character's position in a social hierearchy. The memory of such occaisions is generally sufficient to cement the idea in the populace that they have a right to occupy that position. Although it is not that unlikely for ambitious members of the hierarchy to "forget" when the character is not in their regalia. On the other hand a 12th level character would have a sufficiently majestic aura to renmind people that this is the king without any special clothes.

The main reason for this is to price the cost of the regalia required of a position in existing game terms.

Special Outfits

Special outfits are single use regalia (the potions of the clothing world) for special events, such as a ball or attending court. They generally provide a status boost for that event only, allowing the attendee to mix more freely with their social betters. Ballgowns are a prime example of a special outfit. Again, they may be combined with jewellry for the purposes of providing a status boost

Tailors

A tailor is a craftsman that can make and repairs clothing with portable tools (although often they will occupy a boutique to sell the clothes with attached sweatshop to do the actual swing). A tailor with a shop is able to make the materials from which clothes are made. particularly magical clothes. However most tailors are ordinary craftsmen, in which case their skill level normally only determines the status bonus, and they are unable to make magical clothing,

An extraordinary tailor is able to amke magical clothing in a shop, using a loom as the equovalent of a smith's forge in the process.

• A +1 outfit is a magically perfect outfit. It is perfectly comfortable to wear, tough, and generally stain and weather reistant.
• A +2 outfit is generally carries a number of enchantments. Immunity to charm is a quite common one for royal or judicial robes, for example.
• A +3 outfit must be produced on an elemental loom charged with the appropriate elemental energies and will have the effects appropriate to the energies embued in the cloth. For example investing a bishops robes with holy energies would oprovide the wearer with protection from evil and a degree of magical immunity at the very least. Supernatural creatures would burn when they come in contact with the robes and would have difficulty maintaining a glamour in their presence.
• A +4 outfit will have some magical effect. For example a Cloak of invisibility which provides the wearer with true invisibilty (rather than just the glamour that is embued by a +2 outfit with an invbisibility ernchantment. It would need to be made on a magical loom specially made for the task.
• A +5 outfit provides a major magical benefit, For example Death's Cloak from the haeey Potter franchis is not just a cloak of invisibily, but can allow the wearer to travel anywhere. On the other hand using this ability is quite liekely to attract the attention of Death who might want to collect the cloak that was stolen from her.

While an outfit might have multiple enchantments it is common to place the approprioate enchantments on the appropriate parts of the outfit. Thus boots carry mobility enchantments, gloves manual enchantments, and so on. These are normally considered seperate magical items rather tan being part of a single ensemble.

Normal Outfits

Normal outfits generally give the character a reaction bonus when travelling, according to their value. Note that sumptuyary laws may restrict a character to wearing an oyfit appropriate to their social level.

Outfit	Bonus
Outlaw	-4
Slave	-3
Peasant	-2
Freeman	-1
Townsman	+0
Guildsman	+1
Gentry	+2
Noble	+3
Princely	+4
Royal	+5
Imperial	+6

Note that a magical outfit proviodes a status boost at least equal to the degree of enchantment.

The Astral Gates (MyD&D)

Each of the astral plabes are separated from each other by a metaphysical gate. Priginally this was presented as a initiation ritual for a magic user as they gained a level when they could learn a higher level of spell, although it did later evolve to "astalnaits" travelling through these astral planes seeking knowledge to bring back to the waking world.

The first gate must be found in one's dreams, unless on uses magic to physically manifest it. Unlike the other gaters it has no guardian, although it may be a challenge to open until the astralnaut is ready to proceed in their own mind.

The Leaden Gates of Sleep
(The Saturnian Gate) [1st level]

These dull gates of lead, engraved ith a strange unknown script, are the barrier between the world of dreams and the first of the astral planes. This plane is the domain of Time, named for both the lack of it and the existence of too much of it. The world within is cold and barren, and filled with ruins. Mountains have eroded, forests are dead, and rivers dry. A rime of frost often covers things, and even the sun is a ghost of what it should be, providing barely any heat. Far too much time has passed here and it shows. The ruins are haunted by simple brutish creatures and hungry vermin of various types, of which the traveller must be beware. There is a danger that if one stays too long in this place then one will be unable to go on, or go back.

Note that this is not the same as the worlds of the Black Sun from which a magic user can summon a wraith. There the feeling is ruin and destruction rather than the timelessness of eternity, and of course the sun in those places is a black orb that absorbs all heat, life, and magic, whilst still lighting the world in a stange silver ambience. Even if obe ignores the ever-hungry wraiths that stalk these worlds, it is not a place that a living craeture can survive in for long without powerful magics (that will, of course, attract the wraiths in a feeding frenzy).

Care must be taken when travelling this place bnot to allow the leaden gates to close behind you, because then there is no guarantee how long you will spend here, Seconds may turn out to be millenia, or vice versa. Somewhere in the middle of a plaza of a ruined city of strange towering construction, one will usually find the next gate.

The Tin Gates of Fancy
(The Jovian Gate) [3rd level]

The gates between the first and second astral planes are made of bright shiny tin, embossed with scenes of humanoid figures engaged in pleasure and revelry, but they sounds quite hollow when tapped. The world located beyond is bright and splendid and filled with many marvels and distractions, and entertainments unbounded. Street vendors and hawkers will sell you treats, such as candies that taste of blue and mirrors that reflect your dreams. Colourful banners fly, enticing smells fill the air, and people of great beauty walk the streets. But these are as deadly a trap to the unwary astralnaught as the lethargy of the first astral plane. One can get caught uop to easily in these fetes and lose the way forward or back. The actual buildings, made of marble and alabaster with golden trim, as opposed to the tents and stalls of the vendors of these delights, are all facades, concealing an emptiness within.

There is a square in midst of the fair, studiously ignored by all the inhabitants of this place, where the next gate can be found.

The Iron Gates of War
(The Martian Gate) [5th level]

The solid and barbed Iron Gates of War separate the second and third astral planes. The marvels of the previous astral plane turn to horrors as petty frictions and jealousies manifest. Many of the nightmares that haunt the dreams of mortals have their genesis here. The danger here is eminently manifested by warring armies of monsters. It is easy to succumb to the bloodlust here, especially if one is caught up in a righteous cause, and lose the way forward or back.

On a hill surrounded by a huge battle of clashing armies, stands the next gate. No combatant ever steps on this hill though, and it is strangely peaceful adter the tumult. A spiral path winds up the hill amongst the tombstones and tombs rgar cover this hill.

The Copper Gates of Love
(The Venusian Gate) [7th level]

The burnished and reflective Copper Gates of Love separate the third and fourth astral planes. The nightmare horrors of the previous astral plane are completely banished from here and peace and tranquility reign in the pastoral landscape where lions and lambs frolic together. Delicious fruit amd berries may be picked from the branches, and the water in the streams is clear, cold, and impossibly refreshing. The inhabitants here are carefree and givng, and experts at playing the nose flute. But spend too long here and you will lose the desire to return (or to proceed on).

On an island in a glade before a waterfall lies a marble temple in the Greco-Roman style, in which the next gate is located.

The Quicksilver Gates of Thought
(The Mercurian Gate) [9th level]

The strangely fluid Quicksilver Gates of Thought separate the fouth and fifth astral planes. Unlike the others it does not open when the guardian's challenge is completed, but instead the astralnaut will pass through it's liquid embrace. In doing so the astralnaut has purged themselves of the emotions that have been holding them back from truly perceiving what is. The world beyond is stark and rational, a beautiful construct of logic and premise, held together by reason and belief. The inhabitants and travellers here are very alien, and the danger here is not being able to understand the way back or the way forward. Or the need for it.

Ontologically following a brane can lead to a strange geometrical nexus with more than the normal amount of dimensionality, within which can be found the next gate in an impossible direction.

The Silver Gates of Memory
(The Lunar Gate) [11th Level]

The Silver Gates of Memory is carved with the same inscriptions as the leaden gates, except they are now understandable and of great import. Sometimes this gate that separates the fifth and sixth astral planes is known as the Gate of Prophecy as a result. The difficulty is of course holding on to the details of it as you return back to the mortal worlds and awaken once more. Passing through the gate marks an understanding for the need to remember all that you are. The abstracted beauty of the previous world has added depth as it now extends both forwards and backward in time, and possibly even into other dimensions. rather than just existing in the now. There is a sense that existence here is profound, and the inhabitants have a certain magisterial authority about them that give weight to what they say.

The next gate is surprisingly easy to find, as it makes its presence felt wherever you are in this plane. The gentle hum and golden glow can always be found around the next corner or through the next alleyway if one desires. It is said that if it time for you to pass through them then wherever you go they will be there, waiting for you. There does not seem to be a guardian at thios gate either, but if you are not ready to travel through it, then it cannot be opened.

The Golden Gates of Eternity
(The Solar Gate) [13th level*]

No one can really describe what the Golden Gate of Eternity actually looks like, just the sense of what eminates from it. There is a sense of completion there, of an impending majestic unification with everything. The godhood made manifest. While theer is no guardian here whose challenge must be passed, most people viewing the gate know in their hearts that this is a thing they are not truly ready to experience. However a few have managed to open the gate and ppass through it, but there is no records of what they found there is no record of them ever returning back through the gate. They simply disappear, even if just travelling through it in their dreams.

* Remember that in my game the highest level is 12th. This gate therefore represents progress beyond that by some means. Perhaps this is how wizards are made?

To Hit Rolls (MyD&D)

Currently

Currentl;y my "to hit" roll is a rich roll. In order to hit a target you have to roll equal to or below your Combat Ability (which is equal to 10 + character combat bonuses), but above your target's Armour Value (what would be ascending Armour Class in D&D). The exception is chivalric weapons which are considered to do half damage if ypu roll equal to or under the Armour Value. These are weapons that have to be swung with some authority, so they attack last in the rooundf, whilst you cannot just rely on armour to avoid injury. Remember, in MyD&D, hit point damage represents the extra effort required to avoid injury from an attack. If you run out of hit points, thenm your parry, block, or dodge was just too sloew and the attck hit.

If your Combat Ability is greater than 20 then it is considered to be equal to 20, but any extra points reduce your opponent's Armour Value.

In practice this has worked well. Especially since it is a straight comparison of the roll, which is cognitively the simplest approach to interpreting a roll.

Proposal

What if the bonus to attack reduced the rank of the die rolled from d20. So if the character had a +1 bonus to attack they would roll a d18 instead of a d20. Similarly if they had a -2 penalty they would roll a d24 to hit. In order to hit they would have to roll over the opponent's Armour Value (in this case equivalent to descending Armour Class in D%amp;D). And before people ask, yes, I do have a collection of duitable physical dice to supply my players, since I already use this type of system for other die rolls.

In this case chivalric weapons would double the opponet's Armour Value (making them easier to hit, but at the cost of acting last in the round).

Attribute Dice (MyD&D)

In MyD&D the spiritual attributes (Charisma, Willpower, and Intelligence) are mirrors of the physical attributes (Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity). This means that both Charisma and Strength merasure the characters ability to use force in resolving the appropriate situation, Dexterity and Intelligence measuire the use of finess to resolve the situation, and Constitution and Willpower measure the general resilience of the character in each half of the equation. The physical abilities are also eachj associated with a type of physical combat (and a class that excells in that combat), whiolst the spiritual abilities are associated with a tupe of magiic (and a class that uses that type of magic). So Strength is associated wilth melee (Fighters), Constitution is associated with missiles (Rangers), and Dexterity is associated with avoiding combat (Rogues). Similarly Charisma is associated with Antipathic magic [banishing and dismissal] (Clerics}, Willpower is associated with natural magic (Adepts), and Intelligence is associated with sympathetic magic [summoniong and creation] (Mages).

Now each class has a Combat Die which basically represents how good they are at Combat. In normal games of D&D this would be considered their Hit Die. For example Fighters have a base Combat Die of d10, whilst mages (on the opposite side of the circle) have a Combat Die of d4. Other classes (and subclasses) have different Combat Dies. Actually I've long used the Combat Die with monsters as well (well before MyD&D), so that the Hit Die of a monster equals it's base combat ability. So a dedicated martial artist gets a d12 HD, a melee specialist such as aknight gets a d10 HD, a regular warrior or soldier gets a d8 HD, a militiaman or peasant (a peasant life toughens you) gsts a d6, a normal townsman gets a d4 HD, and an academic gets a d2 HD. [The default class for mages are the battle mage who are trained in warfare so get a betetr HD; more academic mages get a worse HD.] Toughness and constitution may ibncrese the HD. For example a blacksmith gets a d9 HD and a draon increasesd it's HD by one rank for it's "class."

Now attributes modify the rank of the die used. So the character's actual Hit Die is their Combat Die modified by their Constitution. A character will get to roll a number of Hit Dice equal to their level to determine their hit points. But it also made sense to determine the character's Damage Die in a similar way; in this case the Damage Die is the Combat Die modified by Constitution. Thios is the amount of damage the character does in combat (and coincidentally defines what weapons the character can effectively use in combat). Note that all hit point damage is class-based.

Now I have always been a fan of mana point systems rather than the traditional Vancian approach of D&D (although I do have a Vancian sub-system that I do quite like for more standard D&D play). My favourite point-based magic system, courtesy of a 3E/d20 splatbook by Guardians of Order, uses the cost of the spell to be equal to (the level of the spell + 1)^2. So a cantrip (a level 0 spell) costa 1 SP, a first level spell costs 4 SP, a second level spell costs 9 SP, a third level spell costs 16 SP, and so on. The question is how to determine how many spell points are available to the spellcaster. This ideally should mirror the chaarcter's hit points (by my MyD&D philosophy), so they should eoll a number of Spell Point dice equal to their level. The Spell Point die is the classes Magic Die modified by their Willpowerr. To mirror the Fighter, this was set to be a d10 for a Mage, which means that a first level Mage with normal Willpowerr has a 70% chance to cast a first level spell each day (and a 30% chance of being able to cast two, which balances the 30% chance of beiong unable to cast a first level spell without hurting themselves). The total number of spell points the character receives is less than the total amount if you converted their spell levels to spell points (even given the increase pf the Maic Die that happens at the heroic and superheroic tiers), but still suffivient to cast the high level magic appropriate to their levek.

A corollary of this idea is that all classes now have a reserve of spell points. Therefore each class should have it's own type of "magic" so that it can use them. But in this sense "magic" is not sorcery or exorcism, but rather the ability to break the rules of the universe in interesting ways. For example the "cantrip" magic of a fighter is the ability to make special attacks that may cause a special combat result. Similarrly they might learn higher level spells, although these are called martial arts. Want to cause your blade (or fists) to burst into flame? Well that's a first level martial art (most martial arts follow an "elemental" school). Similarly want to endure cold (also a "fire" martial art). But all that is a whole other article.

Anyway that was the status of mny game for a long time, but eventually I got to thinkingh that shouldin't the other attributes have their own dice that operate on the same principle?

Now the Charisma dice is simple, since that is the ability to project magical force. So the class Magic Die modified by the character's Charisma is the character's Spell Damage Die. This actually fits in well with how missile spells work in my game (again, a different article). So a magic uer casting magic missile does a base d12 damage with the missile (which is a cheat slightly since by OD&D definition it should just do d10+1 since in my game magical bonuses are added to the roll and don't raise rank, but I like thios way better).

Similarly the Magic Die modified by Intelligence becomes the Magic Effect Die (to borrow the ORE/Wild talents idea between attack dice and use dice). So where spells have a variable effect this is the die that is used to measure it. So a cleric casting banish light wounds would use their magic effect die to determine how many hiot points the taget gets back (in this case it would be a base d8).

And then there is the Combat Die modified by Dexterity. I suspect I shall eventually call this the Maneouvre Die (although I already have a Maneouvre Die in the game that is based on encumbrance and gait). I suspect that this die will be affected by encumberance/armour, and that it should balance out to be the same as the old die. For example the base fighter in battle armour (plate) would modify the base d10 to d6. This implies that battle armour gives a -2 rank penalty, heavy armour gives a -1 rrank penalty, light armour gives no penalty, shiled only gives +1 bonus, and no armour gives a +2 rank bonus. However that pretty much reduces everybody's maneouvre die to a d6 if they wear the heaviest allowable armour. In the oldd version battle armour gave you a d6, heavy armour gave you a d8, light armour gave you a d10, shield only gave a d12, unarmoured gave a d14 (or higher). Which allowed a lot more swashbuckling activity (which I enjoy).