Rules: Ability Scores

So, ability scores in Dorms and Dragons were something I wanted to be realistic. I included three methods for ability score generation, but the one I prefer is the tiered point buy system. To remove herculean super hero characters,  I took most point-buy systems advice and create a 15 point build between the six tradition ability scores; STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Each score starts at the average of 10 and each point will raise or lower the score. The system is tiered so that every two points, the cost for the new score goes up by 1, like this:

Ability Score          Cost in Points to Buy the Score

        7                                        +4

        8                                        +2

        9                                        +1

       10                                       +0

       11                                        -1

       12                                        -2

       13                                        -3

       14                                        -5

       15                                        -7

       16                                        -10

       17                                        -13

       18                                        -17

With this system, having an 18 in one ability score really hurts your characters chances at being good at much else. Add that to the fact that there really isn't a dump stat, and balance becomes the word of the day.

Strength - (STR) strength is the measure of physical power a character has. It affects a character's ability to hit, their damage output, and the amount of equipment they can carry. 

Strength
Strength Score	To-Hit Bonus	Damage Bonus	Extra Inventory
3	-4	-4	-7
4-5	-3	-3	-6/-5
6-7	-2	-2	-4/-3
8	-1	-1	-2
9-11	0	0	-1/+0/+1
12-13	+1	+1	+2/3
14-15	+2	+2	+4/5
16-17	+3	+3	+6/7
18	+4	+4	+8

Dexterity- (DEX) dexterity is the measure of a character's agility and coordination. It affects their ability to hit with missile weapons, armor class adjustment for evasion, initiative bonus, their reflex saves, and finesse based skills.

Dexterity
Dexterity Score	Missile To-Hit	AC/Ref Bonus	Initiative Bonus
3	-4	-4	-3
4-5	-3	-3	-2
6-7	-2	-2	-1
8	-1	-1	+0
9-11	0	0	+0
12-13	+1	+1	+0
14-15	+2	+2	+1
16-17	+3	+3	+2
18	+4	+4	+3

Constitution- (CON) Constitution is a characters endurance and bodily health. A character's constitution modifies their HP gain per level as well as their body saves against poison, paralysis, and disease

Constitution
Constitution Score	HP/Body Save Bonus
3	-4
4-5	-3
6-7	-2
8	-1
9-11	+0
12-13	+1
14-15	+2
16-17	+3
18	+4

Intelligence- (INT) Intelligence is a characters capacity for learning, remembering, and critical thought. Intelligence increases the amount of skill XP one receives from completing a skill successfully and represents the number of extra languages a character can learn. Characters do not start with these extra languages, but it capable of learning them. Characters with an INT of 12 can read and write their own language.

Intelligence
Intelligence Score	Skill XP Modifier	Bonus Languages
3	-4	0
4-5	-3	0
6-7	-2	0
8	-1	0
9-11	+0	0
12-13	+1	+1
14-15	+2	+2
16-17	+3	+3
18	+4	+4

 Wisdom- (WIS) wisdom is a measure of a character's mental fortitude, sanity, and awareness of their surroundings. High wisdom grants bonuses to Mind saves against curses, insanity, and mind affecting magic.

Wisdom
Wisdom Score	WS Bonus
3	-4
4-5	-3
6-7	-2
8	-1
9-11	+0
12-13	+1
14-15	+2
16-17	+3
18	+4

Charisma- (CHA)- Charisma marks a characters force of personality, personal magnetism, influence, and ability to lead. A high charisma score allows characters to control more hirelings with the benefit of higher morale. Charisma also comes into play with reaction roles.

Charisma
Charisma Score	Reaction Adjustment	Retainers	Retainer Morale
3	+2	1	4
4-5	+1	2	5
6-8	+1	3	6
9-12	0	4	7
13-15	-1	5	8
16-17	-1	6	9
18	-2	7	10

Tangent: Benders

So the girlfriend was over last week and we decided to watch the season finale of Legend of Korra together. We made it a bit of a date and made these awesome earth bender symbol cookies that she found on Reddit.

I'm a fan of the original series and I've always liekd the martial artist/elementalist type characters so, what do you guys think about a Bender class for Dorms and Dragons? 

Rules: Morale

Morale

The GM always decides whether NPCs surrender or run. Players always have the choice of how they deal with a particular situation. Every foe or NPC has a morale score from 2-12. A morale of 2 causes a foe to run away at any sign of conflict, while a foe with a morale of 12 will always fight to the death. Morale checks are made when one side has lost a member, or when half the group on a side are slain or dispatched. When rolling for a morale check, roll 2d6, if the roll is higher than the morale score of the opponent, the check fails and they will attempt retreat. If the result is equal to or lower than the score, they will continue to fight. The GM can add modifiers to morale ad hoc. Hireling morale score is determined by their employer PC's Charisma score. More on ability scores tomorrow.

(The morale system I used in Dorms and Dragons is wholesale the same as Labyrinth Lord's system.) 

Rules: My Take on Hitpoints

HEALTH & HEALING

Hit points are an abstraction of the bruises, scrapes, and close calls a character takes before they are wounded, so, hit points don’t measure damage to one’s body, just how exhausted one is before they do get hurt and roll on the Table of Wounds. Because of this, HP is fully restored after 8 hours of rest in a safe place. A Flagon of Wine, or other strong drink, can also be used to regain 1d6 HP once per day. Flagons of Wine cause intoxication, incurring penalties, damage reduction, and an increase to morale

TABLE OF WOUNDS

If a PC reaches 0 HP, roll 1d10 and consult the Table of Wounds. With any result the character is unconscious unless magical healing or first aid brings hit points into the positive range. If dropped to 0 again, roll at -1 (cumulative for each roll). The GM can also give modifiers by circumstance.

Table of Wounds
1d10	Results
0 or lower	Grisly Death- Body is destroyed, no chance of resurrection.
1-2	He’s Dead Jim- Dead as per the usual rules
3-4	Fatal Wound- Dies in 1d6 turns unless magical healing, tourniquet, fire, etc. is applied. Character is incapacitated and requires 3d6 weeks of healing.
5-6	Mangled Limb- Roll for which limb, Unconscious for 3d6 rounds and requires 3d4 weeks to heal. -2 to rolls when applicable. Fatal Wound if on head.
7-8	Broken Bone- Roll for limb. Unconscious for 2d6 rounds. 3d4 weeks to heal -1 to rolls when applicable. Fatal Wound if on head.
9	Knocked Out-  Unconscious for 2d6 rounds
10 or Higher	Stunned- for 1d4 rounds. Unconscious for 2d6 if not wearing a helm.

Roll a 1d6 for body hit locations

1d6	Body Part
1	Head
2	Chest
3	Left Arm
4	Right Arm
5	Left Leg
6	Right Leg

Magical Healing of Long Term Wounds - 
Each magic healing spell reduces wound healing time by 1 week. Only one healing is allowed per day, and it requires constant attention (12 hours) of the healer.  Full rations and double rest for 16 hours is required. 

Notes on Broken Bones – Strong magic can fix a mangled limb with a chance (2 in 6) that bones don't heal right. Effects best determined ad hoc.

Cure of non-magical diseases and poisons- Treatment typically takes 3d4 days and costs roughly 50go per HD of the creature for proper medicines. Complete bed rest and full rations required.

Resting After Combat - After combat, any character that lost HP may spend 1 turn resting and treating their wounds to regain 1d4 HP. This includes magicians resting after drain from spell casting. Resting only heals if damage or exhaustion was sustained during the combat.

Helmets Are Important! - Particularly intelligent enemies may try (chance of 1 of 6) to aim for the unarmored (AC 10) head. It can also save a life when rolling for wounds.