Home

What is Warrior, Rogue & Mage?

This game is a simple, lightweight role playing game that allows a group of players and a game master (GM) to experience epic adventures in a fantasy world filled with conflict, monsters and wondrous magic.

Although this game uses the three archetypal roles of classic role playing games in its title, it doesn’t make use of classes. Players can freely create characters as they see fit without having to press them into the tight corset of character classes. Warrior, Rogue and Mage are actually the characters’ basic attributes, which measure their capabilities in combat, stealth and academics respectively.

This book assumes you are familiar with tabletop RPGs. If you have no idea how a tabletop role playing game is supposed to work, ask your geek friends; they’ll probably know.

Characters

Each player has to create a character in order to play. The player character is his or her representation in the game world. The characters played by the game master are called nonplayer characters or NPCs. All characters are described by their three basic attributes, skills, talents and various other values, which will be explained in detail in this chapter.Each player has to create a character in order to play. The player character is his or her representation in the game world. The characters played by the game master are called nonplayer characters or NPCs. All characters are described by their three basic attributes, skills, talents and various other values, which will be explained in detail in this chapter.

Attributes

This game uses three basic attributes to describe a character: Warrior, Rogue and Mage. Each attribute is usually ranked from 0 to 6, but monsters and veteran characters may have higher values. If an attribute is ranked at 0 you can’t use any related skills. And in the case of the Mage attribute you can’t cast even the simplest spell.

A character with a high rank in Warrior is the born fighter: strong, tough,fearless. Characters with a low rank in this attribute lack these abilities. Someone with a high Rogue attribute is witty, stealthy and quick with his feet and mind. A highly ranked Mage attribute is a sign of intelligence, strength of will and mental discipline.

Each player character starts with 10 attribute levels that may be freely distributed between the three attributes. No attribute may start higher than 6 though. While highly specialized characters are possible, a well-rounded character with a few levels in each attribute probably works best for new players.

Skills

Each character is also further detailed by a couple of skills. Skills are abilities a character has learned over the years like Riding or Thievery. Skills are not ranked like attributes though. You either have learned a skill, or you don’t. Each character starts with three skills of the players choice. Please note that you can’t choose a skill if the relevant attribute is ranked at level 0!

Talents

Talents give player characters special abilities that set them apart from mere commoners. You don’t have to roll the dice in order to use talents. As soon as a character has acquired a new talent he gets access to a special ability. Some talents may be taken several times.

Hit Points, Fate and Mana

Hit points are a measure of how many hits a character may sustain before going down. A character with 0 HP is considered dead or dying. Fate can be used to save one’s life in certain situations, or take over some narrative control from the GM. Mana is the raw magical energy that is used by Mages to cast magic spells. Characters can’t perform any magic when their Mana is depleted.

Each character starts with Hi points equal to 6 plus his Warrior attribute, Fate equal to his Rogue attribute and Mana equal to two times his Mage attribute. You start with at least 1 Fate if your Rogue attribute is at level 0, though.

Armor and Defense

Each character has a Defense stat that is equal to 4 plus half the sum of his Warrior and Rogue attributes rounded down. Worn armor and shields grants a bonus to Defense but raise the Mana cost of spells by their Armor Penalty (AP).

Basic Task Resolution

Every time a character wants to perform an action which has a chance of failing, the GM may ask the player to roll the dice to determine the outcome of said action. The basic task resolution method is the attribute check. The GM picks the appropriate attribute and decides how difficult the task at hand is. Then the player rolls one six-sided die (also called d6) and adds the relevant attribute’s level to the roll’s result. If the character knows any skills that might help in that situation, he may add 2 to his result. The final result is then compared to the difficulty level set by the GM. If the result is equal or higher the task was successful. If not, the task failed.

Optional: If a character knows more than one skill that could be used in a given situation, the GM may allow the player to add another 2 to the result.

Exploding Die

Whenever a player rolls a 6, the die may “explode”. This means, the player may roll again and add the second result. If the second result is another 6, you roll again. Only damage rolls and attribute checks where the character owns an appropriate skill are subject to this rule.

Automatic Success

When the risk of failing is extremely low, or the task is only of minor importance to the story, and the character has the appropriate skill, the GM may decide that no roll is necessary.

Unopposed Check

If the task at hand is not actively opposed, the player has to beat a difficulty level determined by the GM.

Check Difficulty Examples

Difficulty	(DL)
Easy	(5)
Routine	(7)
Challenging	(9)
Hard	(11)
Extreme	(13)

Opposed Checks

When two characters are in direct competition, the opposed check method is used. The DL of the active character is determined by a roll made by the passive character.

Example: A thief wants to sneak past a guard unnoticed. The guard then rolls a d6 and adds his Mage attribute and the +2 bonus if he owns the Awareness skill to the result. This result then is the DL for the thief’s attribute check.

Optional: Instead of rolling, you can just add 3 to the relevant attribute (and the skill bonus) to get the DL.

Circumstantial Modifiers

There are circumstances which can make tasks harder or easier to perform than usual: The lack of tools makes it harder to craft something, a master crafted weapon grants a bonus to an attack, or bad lighting conditions make it easier to hide in the shadows. The GM may add circumstantial modifiers to any DL if appropriate.

Using Fate

A character can spend one of his Fate points to do the following (GM approval needed):

• Ignore an attack that would have killed the character
• Change a minor detail in the game world. For example: your character knows the NPC you’ve just met. Or there is a shop in the town you just entered with the equipment you need.
• Reroll a single die roll or add +2 to a single check

Fate doesn’t regenerate automatically, so players are advised not to waste their Fate. GMs are meant to grant players Fate for heroic actions, good role playing and certain goals their characters achieved.

Initiative

Whenever combat occurs, player characters and non-player characters act in turns. At the start of combat, the sequence in which the two sides in the conflict act is determined. This is called initiative. In most cases common sense dictates the initiative. If unsure roll a die for each side.

The side with the higher result acts first.

Optional: A character with the Awareness skill may add +2 to the initiative roll.

Combat Actions

Combat turns are pretty short, so characters can only perform a few actions. Running a short distance, drawing a weapon, attacking a foe, casting a spell are reasonable actions that can be performed during one turn.

Attack Roll

When a character tries to hit another character in close or ranged combat, his player has to roll the dice to determine if he has hit. Attack rolls work like any other attribute check but the DL is always the target’s Defense stat plus any applicable modifiers. Attack rolls are subject to the “exploding die” rule if the character has the appropriate skill and that each additional success after the first adds +1 to the damage caused. Please refer to the Magic chapter for magic attacks.

Example: A thief wants to backstab a guard with a dagger. The skill list determines that when using a dagger the Rogue attribute applies. The thief knows this skill, so he may also add the +2 modifier to his attack roll.

Damage and Healing

After having scored a hit, you determine the damage caused. Damage is determined by the weapon used. See the weapon list for details. Please note that damage rolls are always subject to the “exploding die” rule. The victims hit points are reduced by a number of points equal to the damage caused. If the hit points drop to 0, the character is dead or dying. A character’s HP may never drop below 0.

Optional: Characters who were reduced to under half their maximum hit points are considered seriously wounded and get a -3 modifier on all checks.

A character heals hit points equal to his highest attribute per day of rest. Only light activities are allowed during that time. If a character takes part in a combat, chase or a similar activity he may only heal a single hit point that day. Characters with the Herbalism skill may use his abilities to speed up healing. When treated by such a character, you get +2 HPs per day of rest.

Using Magic

Characters with a Mage attribute of 1 or higher have access to spells. Spells can be found or bought. These spells must first be transferred to a character’s personal spell book before they can be used. To cast a spell from the book, the character has to make a roll versus the DL or the spell. If successful, his mana pool is reduced by the amount listed for the spell.

Magic Implement

A character who wants to focus on magic usually owns a magic implement. This may be a staff, gauntlet, ring, or a similar piece of equipment. Magic implements are used to store spells that the magic user can later cast without having to spend any mana from his personal pool. Magic implements have to be charged with mana before they can be used and that mana pool is then used to power spell cast from it. As long as it is powered it also grants a thaumaturgy bonus equal to its level. An implement can hold 10 mana per level of the item. Powering the implement is expensive though. For each mana stored in the implement, the caster has to spend two from his personal pool. Implements may be charged in multiple sessions.

A character can only store spells he knows in a magic implement. The stored spell remains in the implement until replaced. A magic implement can store spells up to its level. A level 3 implement may store one 3rd circle spell, but it may also be used to store one 2nd circle and one 1st circle spell or three 1st circle spells.

Mana Regeneration

A character gets back his full mana pool for a good night’s sleep and receives mana equal to his Mage attribute for one hour of meditation. Magic potions may also regenerate mana.

Casting Spells

In order to cast spells a character needs at least Mage level 1. The thaumaturgy skill is helpful, but not necessary, especially if the character wants to use only a few simple spells. The range of all spells is the line of sight if the spell description does not say otherwise.

Spells are divided into four circles. Spells of the 1st circle are the easiest and less powerful, while 4th circle spell are considerably more powerful and need more skill to be cast.

Casting Costs

Circle	Mana Cost	DL
1st	1	5
2nd	2	7
3rd	4	9
4th	8	13

A caster that wears armor needs to add the AP of the armor worn to the mana cost.

Mana Burning

A spell caster may choose to burn additional mana to improve the spell’s effects. Each level of mana burn costs half the initial mana cost and raises the spells DL by one. The effects of the mana burn are listed with each spells description. Please note that you have to use mana from your personal pool for mana burning even if you cast a spell from an implement.

Sustaining Spells

Usually all spells have a certain duration or cause an instant effect. But there may be cases when a caster wants to sustain a spell over longer periods of time. If a spell can be sustained, it’s listed in the spells description. In order to sustain a spell over longer period of time, the caster has to concentrate which penalizes all of his actions by a modifier of -1. The mana cost for sustaining the spell is listed with the spell’s description.

Variant: Warrior, Rogue, & Scholar

Magic is very common. Everyone with a Mage attribute value of 1 or higher can cast spells. If you want to run a more low-magic game, you can make the following changes: The Mage attribute is replaced by the Scholar attribute. All skills that used Mage before now use the Scholar attribute. This is a purely cosmetic change, so if this isn’t that important to you, you can of course stick to the Mage attribute.

In order to cast spells a character needs to buy a new talent called “Spellcaster” which gives access to 1st circle spells. Spell casting works as usual, although you are restricted to basic spells when you start with a new character. All other talents that affect your magic abilities (like Blood Mage) need Spellcaster as a prerequisite now. When the character levels up, he can acquire “Advanced Spellcaster” which grants him access to the remaining spell circles.

This optional rule allows low-magic campaigns. By disallowing the Spellcaster talent you can even play without any magic at all.

Spell List

1st Circle Spells

Frostburn

Touch attack that causes 1d6-2 damage. Each level of mana burn raises the damage by +1.

Healing Hand

Heals 1d6 HP. The caster has to touch the person he wants to heal. Each level of mana burn heals an additional hit point.

Magic Light

Caster creates a magic light on the tip of his staff or other weapon, that illuminates a 10 yards radius much like a torch. Mana burn can be used to add one or more of the following effects:

• Ball of light (the caster forms the light into a ball that he can control with his thoughts)
• Colored light (the light shines in a color of the caster’s choosing)
• Light beam (the light shines in a tight beam which reaches 15 yards)
• Flash (the effect lasts only one round but blinds everyone who looks unprotected into the flash for 1d6 rounds) The magic light shines for 1 hour or until dispelled by the caster. It can also be sustained for 1 additional mana per hour.

Sense Magic

Caster can sense magic in a 3 yards radius. Each level of mana burn adds another yard to the radius.

Telekinesis

Caster may remotely move one item up to 1kg. Each mana burn adds another kilogram of weight that can be moved. Telekinesis lasts for 1 min and can be sustained for 1 additional mana per minute.

2nd Circle Spells

Create Food And Water

The spell creates one daily ration of food and water for one person.

Healing Light

Heals 1d6 HP. Each level of mana burn heals two additional hit points.

Identify

Allows the caster to identify one magic property of an item. Each level of mana burn identifies one additional property.

Levitation

Caster may slowly float up and down for up to 3 minutes. The spell can be sustained for 1 mana per additional minute. Please note that this spell provides no horizontal propulsion, but a caster may other means to float horizontally.

Lightning Bolt

Missile attack that causes 1d6+2 damage (+2 per level of mana burn)

Magic Armor

A magic bubble around the caster absorbs any damage until its HP are depleted or dispelled.

The bubble has 4 hit point and each level of mana burn adds 4 more. Excess damage is not transferred.

3rd Circle Spells

Chain Lightning

As lightning bolt, but can also attack multiple enemies as long as they are within 5 yards of each other. The damage of the spell can be increased by mana burns. The maximum number of targets affected is 3.

Walk On Air

The caster may walk on air as if it were solid ground for up to 3 minutes. The spell can be sustained for 1 minute per additional mana spent.

Firebolt

This missile spell causes 3d6 damage in a radius of three yards. Mana burn can be used to either improve the damage by +2 or the radius by 2 yards.

Enchant Weapon

The caster puts a temporary enchantment on a weapon that then grants its wielder +2 on attack rolls and any damage caused. Lasts for one combat encounter. Mana burn can be used to add +1 to both the attack and damage bonuses.

Stasis

Touch-attack that puts target into stasis. For the target time stands still, it cannot move, attack or be attacked. Last for a number of hours equal to successes rolled.

4th Circle Spells

Summon Earth Elemental

Caster summons an Earth Elemental under his control. The Elemental is destroyed when its HP are depleted or when dispelled by the caster.

Magic Step

The caster can teleport up to 10 yards in any direction. Each mana burn can add 10 yards to the distance teleported. No line of sight is needed, but the caster must have a clear image of the place where he wants to teleport to in his mind.

Use Moongate

The caster can open moongates at special places (like stone circles) that allow instant travel over long distances. Moongates start to close slowly after 2 minutes. They can not be held open nor can they can only be open once every 6 hours.

Return to Life

Caster can revive one fallen character as long as the body is still intact and warm. Upon success the character also gets back 2 HP. Mana burn can be used to increase the healing by 2 hit points.

Summon Phantom Steed

The caster calls a phantom steed that can act as a mount for 24 hours. The phantom steed needs no rest and can walk on water. This spell can not be sustained, the steed must be resummoned after the 24 hours.

---

This work is based on Warrior, Rogue &amp; Mage (found at <a href=”http://www.stargazergames.eu/”>http://www.stargazergames.eu/</a>), created by Michael Wolf, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (<a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/”>http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/</a>).