Untitled SENG Game by Merry Prankster Games (http://www.prankster.com)
This Manual is Copyright 2007-2009 by Geoff Dunbar
Manual Date June 11, 2009
Untitled SENG Game flavor text goes here.
This manual is organized into three main sections. "Playing the Game" describes the basics of controlling your actor in "Untitled SENG Game"; which buttons and keys to press, where to look on the screen, and so forth. "Hints and Tips" is a short section describing some basic hints for getting started in playing the game without undue frustration. Last, the "Game System" section is not strictly needed to play "Untitled SENG Game", but will be of interest to those of you who are interested in what the various numbers and statistics mean and how they affect game-play.
For more information and updates on "Untitled SENG Game" or Merry Prankster games, visit http://www.prankster.com.
On starting "Untitled SENG Game", you'll be asked whether you want to "Start a New Game" or "Load Existing Game". If this is your first time, you will want to start a new game; later on you may resume saved games by loading an existing game.
On starting a new game, "Untitled SENG Game" will guide you through the creation of your actor. The game will provide enough information to create a actor to your specifications, though if you want to know exactly effect the various statistics will have you will need to read the "Game System" section of this manual.
Once you have completed the actor creation process, your actor will appear in the main game screen.
Here is a screenshot of the main screen:
The main game view is where you can see your actors and the area around them. The view is always centered on the currently selected actor or actors. The currently selected actors are indicated with a green circle drawn around their feet; in the screenshot above all 4 actors are selected.
If you hold the CTRL key down, more information is displayed about things of interest on the screen:
In addition, hovering the mouse over something will display more information about it in the Hover Display.
Controlling your actors is done with the mouse in the main game view. To select a actor in the main game view, click on the actor with your mouse. (You may also select actors in the "Actor Display").
Clicking on the main view causes the currently selected actors to perform a reasonable default action, as indicated by the icon displayed:
 |
Causes a new actor to be selected. |
 |
Moves the actor to the clicked location. |
 |
Interacts with the clicked thing. For an actor, this means talk to it. For a door, this means try to open it. |
 |
Attack the hostile actor. |
 |
Moves the actor to the clicked location, which is an exit from the current area. Click the "Exit" button to actually exit the area. |
Double-clicking on a party actor causes the actor information to be displayed; otherwise it is the same as clicking.
Right-clicking causes the currently selected actors to perform their specified action. This is helpful for casting spells or using items which are never a default action. In addition attacking non-hostile actors or talking to party members is done through right-clicking. See "Actions" for more information.
Normally if you issue a new action, it replaces the previous action. However, if you want to cause the new action to be performed _after_ completing any outstanding actions, hold the SHIFT key down while clicking (or right-clicking) to issue the new actions.
Around the edge of the screen are a variety of displays and buttons.
In the top left corner are a selection of buttons that control the game.
First is the "Game" button. Clicking this button will give you the option of saving or quitting the current game.
Next to the "Game" button are a set of buttons to control game behavior. First is a clock which indicates whether time is currently passing, or if the game is currently paused. Clicking on the clock button will toggle whether the game is paused or not (hitting the spacebar does the same). Note that you may still control your actors while the game is paused; you will probably want to pause and unpause the game during combat to give maximum control over your actors.
Second is a button to control "Fastmove". When Fastmove is on, your actors will move at double speed. Fastmove will automatically turn off when you are attacked.
Third is a button to select the whole party.
The last button is the "Return" button that returns your party to the start of the current area. (Note that the "Return" button only functions when your party is not involved in a battle).
Immediately below the "Game" button is a Hover Display that displays information about the thing that the mouse is currently hovering over.
Along the right side of the screen, starting at the top, are a set of Actor Displays for the party actors. The display is lit green if the actor is currently selected. On the top is the actor's name, followed by a set of lines indicating the actor's current health (red) and energy (blue). Below this is an "Action" button that displays the actor's current action (Talk, Attack, Cast, or Use Item), and finally an "Inventory" button.
Clicking on a display for a actor selects that actor. Double-clicking causes the "Actor Information" to be displayed. Hovering over the Actor Display reveals a small up-arrow; clicking this up-arrow can be used to change the order of the actors within the party. Clicking the "Action" button goes to the action selection screen of "Actor Information", and clicking the "Inventory" button goes to the inventory screen.
In the bottom right of the screen is an Action Display.
If the whole party is selected, the Action Display shows the current action for each member of the party (in order). As described in "Actions", right-clicking on the Main Game View will cause each party member to undertake this action.
If only one actor is selected, the Action Display shows the current action for the selected actor at the top of the display. Right-clicking on the Main Game View causes the actor to undertake the action. Below this are the Quick Actions for the actor. Clicking on one of these Quick Actions will cause that action to become the current quick action.
In either case, clicking on one of the small action buttons in the Action Display goes to the Action screen, allowing that action to be changed.
In the middle bottom of the screen, the Message Display displays messages, such as conversation, generated in playing the game.
In the lower left corner of the screen, the Map Display displays a small map of the current area.
The Actor Information screen displays information about a actor, and allows control over the actors possessions and actions. Double click on a party actor to get to the Actor Information screen. The screen has 5 sub-screens:
This screen displays the actor's vital statistics. In addition, when the actor gains a level, you should click the "Spend Level Points" button to gain new skills and attributes.
This screen displays the actor's possessions. You can drag the items to and from the Weapon, Armor, Helmet, Amulet, and Hand slots to wield or unwield them. Drag an item to a Backpack slot to put it in the actor's backpack, or to the Pile slot to drop it. Or drag it to another actor's slot (on the right side) to give them item to another actor (the actor must be close enough to receive the item). Double-click on a stack of items to split the stack up, or drag a single item onto a stack to combine the items into one stack. Lastly, you may click the small item button on an item to view information about the item.
This screen displays the actor's spells (if any). View information on a spell by clicking the "Spell Info" button. See the "Actions" section for information on how to cast a spell.
This screen displays information from the party's journal.
This screen displays and controls the actor's currently selected action, and quick actions. See the "Actions" section for information on how to use actions.
As you wander through the world of "Untitled SENG Game", you will come to a point where you want to perform some action that is not the default action, whether you want to instruct your adventurer to attack an innocent bystander, or cast a spell, the choice is yours. To do so, you need to perform a custom action. You may set the action through the "Action Screen" of the "Actor Information" screen; here is a picture of that screen:
At the bottom is the current Action for the actor; in this case, the action is set to "Talk". Now, if you right-click in the "Main Game View" while this actor is selected, the actor will talk to the target.
To cast a spell, select a spell from the Spell list below (for instance, "Magic Missile"). Then, performing the action (by right-clicking) will cast the selected spell. The mechanism for using an item is similar; select from the Item list ("Lesser Healing Potion", for example).
To the right of the current Action are 5 Quick Actions. You may use this part of the screen to assign actions to each of the keyboard keys F1 through F5. While playing the game, you can change the selected actor's action to one of these Quick Actions by pressing the relevant keyboard key. Note that you still need to right-click to perform the action.
As you gain familiarity with "Untitled SENG Game", you may want to use some of these keyboard shortcuts to make playing easier:
Probably the easiest actor type to play in "Untitled SENG Game" is Fighter, so if you are having trouble, or aren't sure what you're doing, you might want to try a Fighter.
When you create your actor, be sure to raise the Attributes that you will be using a lot well above their starting values. For instance if you are planning to play a hack-n-slash fighter, you probably want to raise your Strength and Durability to at least 15.
Similarly, be sure to keep your most-used Skills at their maximum possible value. Both Fighters and Rogues will probably want to maximize at least one weapon category and also the armor skill. Spellcasters may even want to follow this advice.
Don't worry too much if an actor or even your whole party is killed off. Resting will heal your actors, even the dead ones, and if your party is killed off, you will be returned to a reasonable location, with your actors brought back from the dead. To rest, look for a sympathetic actor who will offer to let you rest in his care, such as an innkeeper.
In a similar vein, you probably want to talk to neutral actors rather than attack them, as they will often offer to let you rest, offer to buy or sell equipment, or even offer to join your party.
In general, defeated monsters will re-appear as well when you rest. However, if you complete the quest associated with that monster (watch the "Message View"), often by killing the monster's chief, the monster will be gone for good.
Pause often in combat to issue actions for your actors so they don't stand around doing nothing. Pressing the Spacebar is a good way to do this quickly.
Use the "Fastmove" and "Return" buttons to speed your travel through already-explored areas.
Once you have played a bit, learning the "Keyboard Shortcuts" will make it a lot easier to control your actors.
Watch the "Message View" for notification that one of your actors has gained a level, and when he has, go to the "Actor Information" screen and press the "Spend Level Points" button. This will give your actor new skill levels and even the occasional bonus attribute point.
As you progress through the game, it is a good strategy to make your party more powerful by asking one or more actors to join the party. Trying to complete the game with just one actor is very difficult.
This section describes the SENG RPG system, as used by "To The World Tree". You don't need to read this section to play the game, but if you are curious about what the various statistics mean, this is the section to read.
The SENG RPG is a game system designed for implementation in computer role playing games. This game system is similar to other level-based RPG systems, in that an actor's basic effectiveness is determined by its level, but the actual abilities of the actor depend on a set of attributes, skills, items, and spells. SENG 1.0 is chiefly designed to simulate a world of heroism and high magic, with warriors and wizards, evil knights and demons.
SENG is based around an exponential rule such that an actor A 5 levels higher than actor B is an even match for about three of actor B at the same time. This basic rule allows us to balance the effectiveness of attributes, skills, items, spells, and actor levels in a simple manner.
In SENG, we often wish to determine whether a given action succeeds or not. In this case, the actor has a number of points representing his ability to take this action, and the target has a number of points representing how hard it is to perform this action on him. For example, when one actor wants to hit another, the actor has Attack Points, and the target has Defense Points.
The chance that the action succeeds is the ratio between the actor's points and the target's points. Some examples:
Lancelot, a 5th level Fighter, has 80 Attack Points. Selene, a 10th level Rogue, has 160 Defense Points. Lancelot has a 80:160 chance of hitting Selene with an attack, or about 33%.
Selene has 120 Attack Points, whereas Lancelot has 90 Defense Points. Selene has a 120:90 chance of striking Lancelot with her attack, or about 57%.
Similarly, we also often wish to determine the magnitude of a successful action. A actor has a number of points representing the magnitude of his action, and a target has a number of points representing how he is effected by the action. For instance, an actor's successful hit is represented by his Damage Points, and a target's ability to take damage is represented by his Hit Points.
When an action is applied, the magnitude is calculated as a random number between 0 and the actor's points. This magnitude is then subtracted (or sometimes added, say in the case of a healing spell) from the target's points. Example:
Lancelot strikes Selene with 80 Damage Points. The damage, randomly selected from 0 to 80 points, of 57 points is subtracted from Selene's Hit Points of 800, leaving Selene with 743 Hit Points.
Selene drinks a healing potion with 60 Healing Points. This adds 24 points (randomly selected from 0 to 60 points) to her Hit Point total, giving her a total of 767 Hit Points.
An actor in SENG can move 10 feet/second (or approximately 7 miles per hour).
An action in SENG, such as casting a spell or attacking another actor, typically takes 5 seconds. Immediately after performing an action, the actor is Delayed for 1 second, in which the actor cannot do anything. Following this, the actor is Recovering for 25 seconds, during which the actor is free to move but cannot perform another action.
A single person or creature in a SENG game is referred to as an actor.
The "power" of an actor is roughly defined by his Level. Level is represented as a number which increases as an actor gains more experience and power. See Experience for more information.
Player actors (and other heroic figures) specialize in a Class. An actor's Class determines what skills and abilities the actor can gain. Classes are broad definitions, with many types of actors fitting under the broad umbrella.
Fighter. Fighters specialize in combat, being able to raise combat skills to the highest levels. They are poor spellcasters and have poor abilities in other miscellaneous skills. All types of actors who specialize in combat are defined as fighters, be they soldiers, knights, master bowmen, gladiators, etc.
Spellcaster. Spellcasters specialize in casting spells, being able to raise spellcasting skills to the highest levels. They are poor fighters (barring their magical abilities), and have poor abilities in other miscellaneous skills. The game system makes no definition over where a spellcasters magic abilities come from, whether they are arcane, divine, or otherwise granted.
Rogue. Rogues are the generalists of the SENG world. They can raise all skills to moderate levels, be they combat, magic, or otherwise, and in addition they can raise more skills than other classes. Many different types of actors fall under the Rogue class, from thieves and assassins to diplomats and bards.
A typical actor in the SENG world is a commoner, with no special abilities. A classed actor in SENG is approximately 10 Levels more powerful than a similar commoner. Thus, a Level 5 Fighter is approximately equivalent to a Level 15 Commoner.
See the Skills, Abilities, and Magic sections for more information on those topics.
An actor's basic physical and mental abilities are defined by a set of 5 statistics called Attributes. These Attributes are the fundamental makeup of an actor, and are virtually fixed for an actor's lifetime, changing only slowly as the actor gains levels.
Each actor has a number assigned for each attribute, where 10 represents an "average human" value. Each increment of 5 represents a doubling in the basic ability, so an actor with a Strength attribute of 15 is twice as strong as an average person. Attributes grant a multiplier to the associated combat statistics, saving throws, special statistics, spells, and abilities.
Strength.
Agility.
Durability.
Intelligence.
Personality.
| Attribute Value | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 5 | 0.5 |
| 6 | 0.6 |
| 7 | 0.7 |
| 8 | 0.8 |
| 9 | 0.9 |
| 10 | 1.0 |
| 11 | 1.1 |
| 12 | 1.3 |
| 13 | 1.5 |
| 14 | 1.7 |
| 15 | 2.0 |
| 16 | 2.3 |
| 17 | 2.6 |
| 18 | 3.0 |
| 19 | 3.5 |
| 20 | 4.0 |
Items have a weight in pounds. Actors can carry a certain amount based on the actor's Strength:
| Strength | Capacity |
| 5 | 50 |
| 10 | 100 |
| 15 | 200 |
| 20 | 400 |
An actor's possessions go into his backpack. In addition, there are a number of slots into which an actor can wield items:
Weapon - Weapons grant a number of Damage Points to the actor; see Combat for a full discussion of how weapons are used.
Off-hand - An actor may be able to wield a shield, or an additional weapon, in his off-hand. See Shield Style and Dual Wield Style for information.
Armor - Armor grants Defense Points to an actor; see Combat for full information.
Helmet - Helmets grant bonuses to their wearer, often Defense Points.
Amulet - Amulets grant magical bonuses to their wearer, to their Attributes, Combat Statistics, Special Statistics, or Saving Throws.
Ring (Left and Right) - Rings grant magical bonuses to their wearer, to their Attributes, Combat Statistics, Special Statistics, or Saving Throws.
There are an additional set of items that are not wielded.
Potions - These one-shot items give short term bonuses, or restore Hit Points or Energy.
Scroll - Scrolls allow actors possessing the Arcane Magic Skill to gain spells (see Ability Acquisition).
Wand - Wands allow actors possessing the Wands Skill to cast spells from the wand, without any Spellcasting Skill Level. Wands have a limited number of charges, and are useless once all of the charges have been expended.
Miscellaneous - These items have no inherent use.
Actors have three separate saving throws, representing their ability to dodge different types of ill effects or spells.
Escape (Agility) - The actor's ability to dodge or otherwise physically evade some sort of threat.
Fortitude (Durability) - The actor's toughness, or ability to absorb physical punishment.
Resolve (Personality) - The actor's ability to overcome mental damage or effects.
An actor is assigned at birth one good, one moderate, and one poor saving throw, based on which attributes are highest to lowest. Ties are broken by the actor's Class.
| Class | Best Saving Throw Tiebreaker | Medium Saving Throw Tiebreaker | Worst Saving Throw Tiebreaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter | Fortitude | Escape | Resolve |
| Rogue | Escape | Resolve | Fortitude |
| Spellcaster | Resolve | Fortitude | Escape |
The actual saving throw is determined by the type of saving throw (Good, Moderate, Poor) and the actor's level.
| Level | Good | Moderate | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | 44* | 42* |
| 2 | 52 | 49* | 45* |
| 3 | 60 | 54* | 49* |
| 4 | 69 | 60* | 52* |
| 5 | 80 | 67* | 56* |
| 6 | 91 | 74* | 60* |
| 7 | 105 | 82* | 64* |
| 8 | 121 | 91* | 69* |
| 9 | 139 | 101* | 74* |
| 10 | 160 | 113* | 80* |
| 11 | 183 | 125* | 85* |
| 12 | 211 | 139* | 91* |
| 13 | 242 | 154* | 98* |
| 14 | 278 | 171* | 105* |
| 15 | 320 | 190* | 113* |
| 16 | 367 | 211* | 121* |
| 17 | 422 | 234* | 129* |
| 18 | 485 | 259* | 139* |
| 19 | 557 | 288* | 149* |
| 20 | 640 | 320* | 160* |
A * indicates that the actor's Improved Saves skill bonus is added to the saving throw value. The actor's attribute multiplier is then multiplied to the value to give the actor's saving throw.
An actor's Level is based on the amount of experience points that he has acquired.
| Level | Experience to Advance |
|---|---|
| 1 | 776 |
| 2 | 1176 |
| 3 | 1782 |
| 4 | 2702 |
| 5 | 4096 |
| 6 | 6208 |
| 7 | 9410 |
| 8 | 14263 |
| 9 | 21618 |
| 10 | 32768 |
| 11 | 49667 |
| 12 | 75281 |
| 13 | 114104 |
| 14 | 172950 |
| 15 | 262144 |
| 16 | 397336 |
| 17 | 602248 |
| 18 | 912838 |
| 19 | 1383604 |
| 20 | 2097152 |
When a actor gains a level, he gains a number of Skill Points to gain new skills; see the Skills section for further information. In addition, for each 5 levels the actor gains, the actor receives one point to add to any Attribute.
Achievements in SENG are designated quests, which are tasks or heroic deeds that the party can accomplish. Actors can advance in levels by successfully completing quests. When the party completes a quest, each actor is granted a reward of experience points for the quest, adjusted for the party size.
The amount of experience that a quest is worth is the sum of the experience that each encounter is worth. This table shows how much experience an encounter is worth based on the level of monsters in the encounters:
| Level | 1 Monster | 2 Monsters | 4 Monsters | 8 Monsters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 64 |
| 5 | 8 | 32 | 128 | 512 |
| 10 | 64 | 256 | 1024 | 4096 |
| 15 | 512 | 2048 | 8192 | 32768 |
| 20 | 4096 | 16384 | 65536 | 262144 |
| 25 | 32768 | 131072 | 524288 | 2097152 |
| 30 | 262144 | 1048576 | 4194304 | 16777216 |
This experience is divided depending on the party size:
| Party Size | Experience Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1/4 |
| 3 | 1/9 |
| 4 | 1/16 |
This gives the experience point reward for each actor in the party.
As actors progress and advance in the world, they may have the opportunity to join a Faction. Factions are groups or organizations, such as:
Worship organizations for a God.
Guilds, like a Thieves' Guild.
Orders of spellcasters.
Political entities like clans, houses, Kingdoms.
Actors are limited to joining one Faction at a time. Factions have multiple ranks, representing greater status and power within the organization. Factions offer Abilities to their members as they progress through the ranks.
| Thunder Chickens |
|---|
|
Thunder Chickens is a test faction. Rank 1 (Egg)
Rank 2 (Chick)
Rank 3 (Rooster)
|
Follow these steps when creating a new, level 1 actor:
Pick a class for the actor (Fighter, Rogue, or Spellcaster).
Assign a value of 5 to each Attribute.
Take 45 points and spend them on Attributes:
1 point per Attribute point up to 10.
2 points per Attribute point up to 15.
3 points per Attribute point up to 20.
The actor then receives a number of Skill Points, as per his Class, and can gain Skills accordingly.
Skills represent gained abilities as actors grow in experience and power. They directly grant actors the ability to perform actions. Each actor has a number assigned for all skills he has gained. 0 represents "unskilled", and each increment of 5 represents a doubling in the basic ability. Each class has an aptitude for a given skill, either Poor, Moderate, or Good; see Classes for a general description of the aptitudes of a given class, or the Skill Descriptions for a given classes' aptitude in a specific skill.
An actor gets a number of Skill Points to spend for each level he gains, depending on his Class.
| Class | Skill Points Per Level |
|---|---|
| Fighter | 14 |
| Rogue | 24 |
| Spellcaster | 16 |
He may then spend these on skills; the number of Skill Points to gain a level in a skill depends on the actor's classes' aptitude in that skill:
| Class Aptitude | Skill Point Cost |
|---|---|
| Poor | 4 |
| Moderate | 3 |
| High | 2 |
In addition the maximum skill level an actor can attain depends on his classes' aptitude.
| Level | Max Poor Skill | Max Moderate Skill | Max Good Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 9 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| 10 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 11 | 6 | 9 | 11 |
| 12 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| 13 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
| 14 | 7 | 11 | 14 |
| 15 | 8 | 12 | 15 |
| 16 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| 17 | 9 | 13 | 17 |
| 18 | 9 | 14 | 18 |
| 19 | 10 | 15 | 19 |
| 20 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
Here is a list of all skills, with their required prerequisite skills:
Full information on all skills:
| Fighting |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Fighting is the prerequisite skill for all Combat skills. |
| Swords |
|---|
|
Attribute: Strength Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Swords provides proficiency in bladed weapons such as swords and daggers. |
| Blunt Weapons |
|---|
|
Attribute: Strength Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Blunt Weapons provides proficiency in blunt weapons such as clubs and maces. |
| Axes |
|---|
|
Attribute: Strength Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Axes provides proficiency in hafted, bladed weapons like axes. Usable Abilities:
|
| Bows |
|---|
|
Attribute: Agility Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Bows provides proficiency in bows of all types. |
| Armor |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Armor provides proficiency in wearing armor. |
| Shield |
|---|
|
Base Level: 6 Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Shield allows the actor to use the Shield Style, permitting use of a shield. |
| Duelist |
|---|
|
Base Level: 6 Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Duelist allows the actor to use the Duelist Style, granting a bonus to Attack Points when wielding a one-handed weapon and no shield. |
| Marksman |
|---|
|
Base Level: 6 Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Marksman allows the actor to use the Marksman Style, granting a bonus to Attack Points when wielding a bow. |
| Two Handed |
|---|
|
Base Level: 6 Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Two Handed allows the actor to use the Two Handed Weapon Style, permitting the use of two-handed weapons. Two-handed weapons cause more damage than their one-handed equivalents. |
| Dual Wield |
|---|
|
Base Level: 6 Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: High Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Prerequisites: Fighting Dual Wield allows the actor to use the Dual Wield Style, allowing the actor to wield and attack with two weapons at once. |
| Spellcasting |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Spellcasting is the prerequisite skill for all Magic skills. |
| Arcane Magic |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Arcane Magic allows the Spellcaster to learn spells from spell scrolls. |
| Religion |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Religion allows the Spellcaster to learn spells from divine sources, such as Factions devoted to the worship of a God. |
| Void Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Intelligence Skill Bonus: -5 Saving Throw: Fortitude Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Void Magic (Black Magic) is magic based on life-draining, undeath, and fear. Void Magic is easy to become proficient in, but is weaker than other forms of magic, and is generally viewed as evil and criminal in most cultures. Grants Abilities:
Usable Abilities:
|
| Life Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Personality Skill Bonus: 0 Saving Throw: Fortitude Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Life Magic (Blue Magic) is the magic of healing and blessing. Usable Abilities:
|
| Energy Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Intelligence Skill Bonus: 0 Saving Throw: Escape Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Energy Magic (Red Magic) is the magic of harnessing and directing raw energy. There is little subtlety to Energy Magic, and its spells are generally used for direct attacks. Usable Abilities:
|
| Mind Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Personality Skill Bonus: 0 Saving Throw: Resolve Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting Mind Magic (Yellow Magic) is the magic of controlling perception and thought. Usable Abilities:
|
| Elemental Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Intelligence Skill Bonus: +5 Saving Throw: Fortitude Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Life Magic, Energy Magic Elemental Magic (Purple Magic) is the magic of controlling the elements that make up all reality, either summoning elemental beings into this world, or directing elemental energies at some target. Usable Abilities:
|
| Astral Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Personality Skill Bonus: +5 Saving Throw: Escape Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Life Magic, Mind Magic Astral Magic (Green Magic) is the magic of the cosmos, summoning forces from other planes of existence to aid the party or hinder enemies. Usable Abilities: |
| Shadow Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Personality Skill Bonus: +5 Saving Throw: Resolve Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Energy Magic, Mind Magic Shadow Magic (Orange Magic) is the magic of using the Shadow Realm to further the caster's goals and aims, using shadows and darkness to damage, hide and befuddle. Usable Abilities:
|
| High Magic |
|---|
|
Attribute: Intelligence Skill Bonus: +10 Saving Throw: Resolve Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Life Magic, Energy Magic, Mind Magic High Magic (White Magic) is the highest form of magic, called the one true magic by the Archmagi that take on the study of this, the most difficult magic. High Magic has many powers, not the least among them the ability to control the magic of other casters. Usable Abilities:
|
| Aesir Blood |
|---|
|
Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting The blood of the Aesir runs through the actor's veins, granting intrinsic powers of Life Magic to the actor. Grants Abilities:
|
| Surtr Blood |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting The blood of the Surtr runs through the actor's veins, granting intrinsic powers of Energy Magic to the actor. Grants Abilities:
|
| Alfar Blood |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: High Prerequisites: Spellcasting The blood of the Alfar runs through the actor's veins, granting intrinsic powers of Mind Magic to the actor. Grants Abilities:
|
| Traps |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Traps grants the actor the ability to detect and disarm traps. |
| Locks |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Locks grants the actor the ability to pick locked doors. |
| Stealth |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Stealth grants the actor the ability to hide from his enemies. Grants Abilities:
Usable Abilities:
|
| Observation |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Observation grants the actor the ability to see hidden actors. |
| Diplomacy |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Diplomacy grants the actor the ability to influence people and creatures through conversation. |
| Improved Saves |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Improved Saves gives the actor a bonus in his two weaker Saving Throws. |
| Wands |
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Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Moderate Wands gives the actor the ability to use magic wands to cast spells that the actor otherwise could not cast. |
| Singing |
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Attribute: Personality Skill Bonus: 0 Fighter: Poor Rogue: Moderate Spellcaster: Poor Singing gives the actor the ability to sing magic songs that grant bonuses to him and his allies. Grants Abilities:
Usable Abilities:
|
An actor has 4 combat statistics:
Attack Points determine an actor's ability to successfully strike an enemy with an attack, either melee or ranged. Attack Points are calculated using the relevant skill for an Actor's wielded weapon (Swords, Axes, Blunt Weapons, or Bows):
| Skill Level | Attack Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 45 |
| 2 | 52 |
| 3 | 60 |
| 4 | 69 |
| 5 | 80 |
| 6 | 87 |
| 7 | 95 |
| 8 | 103 |
| 9 | 111 |
| 10 | 120 |
| 11 | 130 |
| 12 | 140 |
| 13 | 151 |
| 14 | 161 |
| 15 | 172 |
| 16 | 208 |
| 17 | 240 |
| 18 | 275 |
| 19 | 316 |
| 20 | 363 |
The Attack Points are then multiplied by the appropriate Attribute multiplier, Strength for melee weapons, Agility for ranged weapons.
See Styles and Powers for further modifiers to Attack Points that apply at higher levels.
Damage Points determine how much damage an actor deals to an enemy with a successful attack. Damage Points are a property of the actor's wielded weapon. For melee weapons, the Damage Points are multiplied by the Strength multiplier; ranged weapons do not have any multiplier.
Damage Points may also be modified by Powers for higher level actors.
Defense Points determine how difficult to hit an actor is. Defense Points are a property of the actor's worn armor. The Defense Points are then multiplied by the actor's Agility multiplier.
See Styles and Powers for further modifiers to Defense Points that apply at higher levels.
Hit Points reflect an actor's ability to absorb damage from successful attacks. When an actor is reduced to 0 or fewer Hit Points, he is dead. An actor's Hit Points are determined by his level:
| Level | Hit Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 183 |
| 2 | 211 |
| 3 | 242 |
| 4 | 278 |
| 5 | 320 |
| 6 | 367 |
| 7 | 422 |
| 8 | 485 |
| 9 | 557 |
| 10 | 640 |
| 11 | 735 |
| 12 | 844 |
| 13 | 970 |
| 14 | 1114 |
| 15 | 1280 |
| 16 | 1470 |
| 17 | 1688 |
| 18 | 1940 |
| 19 | 2228 |
| 20 | 2560 |
The Hit Points are then multiplied by the actor's Durability multiplier.
When an actor attacks another, calculate the attacker's Attack Points, and the defender's Defense Points. Perform a Success Check to see if the attack succeeds.
If the attack succeeds, calculate the attacker's Damage Points, and perform a Magnitude Check to determine the amount of damage. Subtract the result from the target's Hit Points. If the Hit Points drop below 0, the actor is dead.
Ranged attacks are calculated in the same manner as melee attacks. Ranged attacks have a maximum range of 100 feet.
When the party rests, all actors have their Hit Points restored to their maximum value. Typically this is only done in "safe" locations like inns or castles.
In addition, certain locations, such as many temples, can raise dead actors back to life to continue their adventure.
At Fighting level 6, an actor can study and additional set of Skills that allow the use of combat Styles:
Shield - The actor can use Shield Style, wearing a shield on his off arm.
Duelist - The actor can use Duelist Style, getting a bonus to Attack Points when wielding a one-handed weapon, and no shield.
Marksman - The actor can use Marksman Style, getting a bonus to Attack Points when using a ranged weapon.
Two Handed - The actor can use Two Handed Weapon Style, wielding a two-handed weapon.
Dual Wield - The actor can use Dual Wield Style, wielding two weapons at once.
Styles are used, and grant their bonuses, automatically, if the actor has the required Skill.
The Shield Style allows the actor to wear a shield on his off arm. Shields give a bonus to Defense Points in addition to the defense granted by armor.
The Duelist Style grants a bonus to an actor's Attack Points provided the actor wield a one-handed weapon, and no shield.
| Skill Level | Attack Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 | 18 |
| 4 | 27 |
| 5 | 40 |
| 6 | 43 |
| 7 | 46 |
| 8 | 50 |
| 9 | 53 |
| 10 | 57 |
| 11 | 69 |
| 12 | 80 |
| 13 | 91 |
| 14 | 105 |
| 15 | 121 |
The Marksman Style grants a bonus to an actor's Attack Points provided the actor is using a ranged weapon.
| Skill Level | Attack Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 | 18 |
| 4 | 27 |
| 5 | 40 |
| 6 | 43 |
| 7 | 46 |
| 8 | 50 |
| 9 | 53 |
| 10 | 57 |
| 11 | 69 |
| 12 | 80 |
| 13 | 91 |
| 14 | 105 |
| 15 | 121 |
The Two Handed Weapon Style allows the actor to wield two-handed weapons, which do more damage than their one-handed counterparts.
The Dual Wield Style allows the actor to wield two weapons at once, making attacks with both at the same time. The main weapon is wielded normally, though it cannot be a two-handed weapon. For the off-hand weapon, in addition to the normal skill requirements for a weapon, the actor must also have a Dual Wield Skill Level equal to the normal Skill Level required to wield the weapon. So, to wield a sword that requires Swords 5, the actor must also have Dual Wield 5.
Due to the difficulty of attacking with two weapons instead of one, the Damage Points of each weapon is set to 3/4 of the normal value for that weapon.
Actors can gain optional Abilities that give them special actions that they can take, typically giving some sort of combat bonus. Abilities come in two main flavors, Magic Spells that can be cast that have some magic effect, or Powers that can be activated, granting some type of bonus that remains in effect until the Power is deactivated.
Abilities have an associated Skill and Skill Level. The actor must possess the appropriate Level in that Skill in order to use the Ability.
There are a number of ways for an actor to gain abilities:
Skill-granted - Some Skills grant use of certain abilities when the actor gain the appropriate Skill Level. See the Skill Descriptions for a full list of the Abilities that each Skill grants.
Arcane Magic - The Arcane Magic Skill allows the actor to use Magic Scrolls to inscribe Spell Abilities into his spellbook. The actor's Arcane Magic Skill Level must be equal to the Magic Spell's Skill Level for the actor to inscribe the Spell.
Faction - Gaining ranks in a Faction grants an actor Abilities (typically Powers). The actor will gain these Abilities when he has both the Faction rank and the required Skill Level for the Ability. See the Faction List for the list of Powers that a given Faction grants.
Faction and Religion - Some Factions give access to Spells through divine belief in a Deity; in this case, the actor must have both the required Religion Skill Level, as well as the prerequisite Skill Level in the appropriate Magic Skill. See the Faction List for a list of the Magic Spells that are granted through the Religion Skill.
Most Abilities cost Energy to use. Magic Spells cost Energy to cast, while Powers cost Energy for each round of combat that they are active. The cost of an Ability is based on its level, and is listed in Magic Spells or the Powers List. However, the cost is increased by a multiplier if the Abilities' Skill Level is less than the actor's Level:
| Actor Level - Skill Level | Energy Cost Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 10 | 4 |
An actor's Energy Points are determined by his level:
| Level | Energy Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 183 |
| 2 | 211 |
| 3 | 242 |
| 4 | 278 |
| 5 | 320 |
| 6 | 367 |
| 7 | 422 |
| 8 | 485 |
| 9 | 557 |
| 10 | 640 |
| 11 | 735 |
| 12 | 844 |
| 13 | 970 |
| 14 | 1114 |
| 15 | 1280 |
| 16 | 1470 |
| 17 | 1688 |
| 18 | 1940 |
| 19 | 2228 |
| 20 | 2560 |
There are 3 types of Magic Skills. First, the Spellcasting Skill is required to learn any Magic Skills at all.
Second, there are a set of Skills that allow the actor to learn Magic Spells (see Ability Acquisition):
Void Magic (Void Magic is the only Magic Skill that grants Magic Spells and also allows them to be cast).
Last, there are Skills that allow the casting of Magic Spells:
An actor will want to carefully consider and match his choices of Skills that grant Magic Spells, with his choices of Skills that cast Magic Spells, and also his choice of Faction.
An actor can cast any of the Magic Spells that he has learned, and has the prerequisite Skills to cast. The spell has an Energy Cost (see Energy), which is subtracted from the actor's Energy when the spell is cast.
The available spells:
| Lightning Strike |
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Type: Spell Skill: Elemental Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Intelligence Attack Points: 80 Damage Points: 80 Saving Throw: Fortitude This spell zaps the target creature with an electrical blast. |
| Air Elemental |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Elemental Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Intelligence Duration: 60 seconds Creature Attitude: Party This spell summons an Air Elemental, who is under the complete control of the caster for the duration of the spell. |
| Magic Missile |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Energy Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Intelligence Attack Points: 40 Damage Points: 40 Saving Throw: Escape This spell launches a small magical projectile at the target creature. |
| Flash |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Energy Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Intelligence Effects multiple creatures. Attack Points: 80 Damage Points: 40 Saving Throw: Escape This spell launches a blast of energy at the closest enemy creatures. |
| Magic Impedance |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: High Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Intelligence Inflicts a penalty to statistics: Damage Points: 160 Saving Throw: Resolve Magic Impedance lowers the casting skill of an enemy creature. |
| Rebuke |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: High Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Intelligence Attack Points: 1280 Damage Points: 1280 Saving Throw: Resolve Only affects summoned creatures. This spell rips a hole in time and space, attempting to tear a summoned creature back to its world of origin. The spell has no effect on non-summoned creatures. |
| Heal Light Wounds |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Life Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Personality Heal Points: 40 This spell heals a small amount of damage on the target creature. |
| Protection |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Life Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Personality Grants a bonus to statistics:
Saving Throw: Fortitude Protection temporarily boosts the defensive capabilities and saving throws of a target creature. |
| Detect Enemies |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Mind Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Personality This spell affects only the caster. Grants a bonus to statistics:
Saving Throw: Resolve This spell enhances the spellcaster's ability to detect hidden or otherwise shrouded creatures. |
| Blur |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Mind Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Personality This spell affects only the caster. Grants a bonus to statistics:
Saving Throw: Resolve The spell Blur alters the manner in which others view the caster, causing him to appear shadowy and blurred, enhancing the stealth and defense of the caster. |
| Knock |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Astral Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Personality This spell affects only the caster. Grants a bonus to statistics:
Saving Throw: Escape The spell Knock allows the caster to magically open locked doors as if he had an enhanced Locks skill ability. |
| Wererat |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Astral Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Personality This spell affects only the caster. Grants a bonus to statistics:
Saving Throw: Escape This spell gives the caster the abilities of a Wererat for a short time. These abilities include improved stealth, improved defensive skill, and improved saving throws. |
| Shadow Man |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Shadow Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Personality Duration: 60 seconds Creature Attitude: Friendly This spell summons a Shadow Man who will faithfully defend the party against any attackers. |
| Shadow Door |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Shadow Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Personality This spell teleports the caster to a point within walking range. |
| Touch of Fear |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Void Magic Level: 0 Cost: 40 Attribute: Intelligence Inflicts a penalty to statistics:
Damage Points: 20 Saving Throw: Fortitude This spell chills the heart of one enemy, hindering the effects of that beings attacks for a time. |
| Summon Skeleton |
|---|
|
Type: Spell Skill: Void Magic Level: 5 Cost: 80 Attribute: Intelligence Duration: 60 seconds Creature Attitude: Berserk This spell summons an animated skeleton to the location specified by the caster. The skeleton will then mindlessly attack whichever creature is closest to itself until either the spell disappates or the skeleton is destroyed. |
Powers are Abilities, that higher level actors gain, that boost their potency for a brief time, generally through raising their Combat Statistics or Saving Throws. Powers are activated, at which point they accrue an Energy Cost until deactivated (they are also deactivated if the actor's Energy is reduced to 0). Powers generally become available to actors at Skill Level 11, and are gained through an actor's Faction affiliation (see Ability Acquisition).
Singing powers are slightly different. The Singing Skill grants Powers starting at Skill Level 1, and Singing Powers generally effect the entire party, not just the casting actor. Otherwise they function the same as other Powers.
| Song of Inspiration |
|---|
|
Type: Ongoing Power Skill: Singing Level: 1 Cost: 11 (ongoing) Attribute: Personality Effects multiple creatures. Grants a bonus to statistics:
The character sings an inspiring song, giving a bonus to his allies combat abilities. |
| Axemaster 1 |
|---|
|
Type: Ongoing Power Skill: Axes Level: 11 Cost: 45 (ongoing) Attribute: Strength Weapon Requirement: Axe Grants a bonus to statistics:
Test Power. |
| Axemaster 2 |
|---|
|
Type: Ongoing Power Skill: Axes Level: 16 Cost: 91 (ongoing) Attribute: Strength Weapon Requirement: Axe Grants a bonus to statistics:
Test Power. |
An actor has a set of Special Statistics that indicate his facility in certain situations:
In each case, his Special Statistic is determined by his relevant Skill Level, multiplied by the appropriate Attribute Modifier. Any magical effects are then added or subtracted from the value.
| Skill Level | Special Statistic |
|---|---|
| 1 | 45 |
| 2 | 52 |
| 3 | 60 |
| 4 | 69 |
| 5 | 80 |
| 6 | 87 |
| 7 | 95 |
| 8 | 103 |
| 9 | 111 |
| 10 | 120 |
| 11 | 130 |
| 12 | 140 |
| 13 | 151 |
| 14 | 161 |
| 15 | 172 |
| 16 | 208 |
| 17 | 240 |
| 18 | 275 |
| 19 | 316 |
| 20 | 363 |
Diplomacy measures an actor's ability to persuade, intimidate, convince, or otherwise manipulate someone through conversation and communication. In the game, this typically means that non-player actors may react to the actor in more favorable ways, perhaps opening areas of conversation that would not be available otherwise.
An actor's Diplomacy Special Statistic is determined by his Diplomacy Skill Level, and his Personality Attribute.
An actor may encounter a trap in the SENG world. Each trap has a Detection Value; if the actor's Traps Special Statistic is greater than or equal to the trap's Detection Value, he can detect and disarm a trap when he moves through the trap. Otherwise the trap will activate and act on the actor in some manner, typically through an attack of some sort.
An actor's Traps Special Statistic is determined by his Traps Skill Level, and his Intelligence Attribute.
An actor may also encounter a locked door, chest, or other object in SENG. A lock has a Lock Value; if the actor's Locks Special Statistic is greater than or equal to the lock's level, he can pick the lock, unlocking it. Keep in mind that a key or some other personage in the world may also be able to unlock the door in the case where no actor is able to pick the lock.
An actor's Locks Special Statistic is determined by his Locks Skill Level, and his Intelligence Attribute.
An actor has both a Stealth Special Statistic, and an Observation Special Statistic. If an actor's Stealth Special Statistic is greater than a viewer's Observation Special Statistic, the actor can hide from the viewer, if the actor so wishes. The viewer gets a bonus multiplier if he is within 50 feet of the hider. This multiplier goes from x4 if the viewer is within 5 feet, down to no bonus multiplier if he is farther than 50 feet.
An actor can start hiding if there is no unfriendly actor within 150 feet whose Observation is greater than his Stealth, and he is not in combat. The actor is revealed if he performs an action such as attacking or talking. He is also revealed if he comes within range of an actor that can view him. Once the hider has been spotted, he cannot hide again until he is out of combat and out of sight.
If an actor has a Stealth Skill Level greater than 10, he gets a Sneak Attack Bonus when he is hidden, and attacks a target. The Sneak Attack Bonus is equal to his Stealth Special Statistic, and is added to both Attack Points, and Damage Points.
An actor's Stealth Special Statistic is determined by his Stealth Skill Level, and his Personality Attribute. An actor's Observation Special Statistic is determined by his Observation Skill Level, and his Intelligence Attribute.