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Dragon Warriors Rules Summary

Character Creation

Step 1: Characteristics

  • Roll 3d6 for each of five characteristics: Strength, Reflexes, Intelligence, Psychic Talent, and Looks
  • Scores range from 3-18 and never change (except through illness/sorcery)
  • Players may discard characters with more than two characteristics below average (9-12)

Step 2: Professions

Seven character professions available (with minimum requirements):

Fighter Classes:

  • Knights: No requirements, attack 13/defense 7
  • Barbarians: No requirements, attack 14/defense 6

Magic Classes:

  • Sorcerers: Intelligence 9+, Psychic Talent 9+, attack 11/defense 5
  • Mystics: Psychic Talent 9+, attack 12/defense 6
  • Elementalists: Intelligence 9+, Psychic Talent 9+, attack 11/defense 5
  • Warlocks: Intelligence 11+, Psychic Talent 9+, attack 12/defense 5

Specialist Classes:

  • Assassins: Reflexes 12+, Intelligence 9+, Psychic Talent 9+, attack 13/defense 5

Note: Characters with Psychic Talent 8 or less cannot use magic at all

Step 3: Health Points

  • Knights: 1d6+7 HP
  • Barbarians: 1d6+9 HP
  • Elementalists/Sorcerers: 1d6+4 HP
  • Assassins/Mystics/Warlocks: 1d6+5 HP

Step 4-7: Combat & Other Scores

  • Attack/Defense: Based on profession, modified by characteristics
  • Magical Defense: 3 for fighters, 4 for Mystics/Warlocks, 5 for Elementalists/Sorcerers
  • Evasion: Based on profession, modified by Reflexes
  • Stealth/Perception: Assassins excel (18/8), others have standard scores (13/5)

Profession Special Abilities

Knights

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Track: May attempt to track opponents or prey animals across country
  • Armour Expert: Only profession that can wear plate armour without penalties; never suffers attack or defense penalties for wearing armour
  • Ride Warhorse: Can ride warhorses (larger, stronger, more spirited than ordinary horses)

8th Rank+ Advanced Abilities (select one per rank):

  • Disarm Technique: When opponent rolls 20 to hit (always a miss), roll 3d6; if higher than enemy's rank, disarm and fling weapon 1-6m away
  • Expert Parry: Roll d10 for any blow that would hit; on 1-2, catch on shield and negate
  • Main Gauche: Fight with two weapons - use off-hand weapon for +2 defense OR strike with both (defense = 0 that round)
  • Master Bowman: +1 to Armour Bypass Rolls for arrows; 50% chance to shoot second arrow at end of round
  • Quick Draw: Draw weapon and strike immediately (normally takes full round)
  • Swordmaster: Critical hit on 1-2 when using swords (double normal chance)
  • Weaponskill: +1 to Armour Bypass Rolls with chosen melee weapon (can select multiple times)

Barbarians

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Track: May attempt to track opponents or prey animals across country
  • Berserk: Add 1 point to attack for each 3 points subtracted from defense for that round
  • Ride Warhorse: Can ride warhorses

8th Rank+ Advanced Abilities:

  • Bloodrage: Enhanced berserk state triggered when wounded; attack = normal attack + defense score, defense = 0; causes fear in opponents (80% for unranked, 25% for 1st-2nd rank adventurers)

Sorcerers

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Spellcasting: Use Magic Points to cast spells

Advanced Abilities:

  • Calligraphy (4th Rank+): Create magical scrolls; costs 3-18 crowns for materials, takes 28 days, temporarily suppresses 2 MPs per scroll
  • Alchemy (6th Rank+): Prepare potions in laboratory (200 crown setup); different potions available by rank, 28 days preparation time, failure chance decreases with rank
  • Artifice (8th Rank+): Create magical items and innovations
  • Wands (8th Rank+): Construct magical wands (1-2m staff); takes 3 months + MP investment

Mystics

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Spellcasting: Use Psychic Fatigue system instead of Magic Points
  • Spell Mastery: Select one spell to be "always on" without fatigue checks

Advanced Abilities:

  • Premonition (Sixth Sense): Sense danger in specific object/location within 5m; 35% + 2% per rank success chance; takes 2 rounds concentration
  • ESP (Seventh Sense): Detect thoughts within 10m range; 5% + 3% per rank success chance; takes 3 rounds preparation
  • Enchantment of Arms and Armour (4th Rank+): Create +1 items (4th), +2 items (6th), +3 items (9th); takes months/years, chance of flawed items decreases with rank
  • Adepthood (8th Rank+): Ultimate spiritual mastery; Reflexes and Psychic Talent become 18, doubled healing, immunity to poison/disease/mind control/fear

Elementalists

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Spellcasting: Use Magic Points to cast elemental spells; choose primary element + 2 adjacent secondary elements
  • Raw Power: Even when unable to cast spells, can channel raw elemental force (Indirect Attack: Speed 10 + MPs, Range 10m per MP, Damage 2d6 per MP)
  • Elemental Resistance: +4 to magical defense and evasion vs primary element, +2 vs secondary elements
  • Basic Equipment Requirements: Must carry elemental focus item or cast at double MP cost

Equipment by Element:

  • Earth: Vine root staff (5 florins)
  • Air: Aeolian harp (10 gold crowns)
  • Water: Crystal phial of pure spring water (1 gold crown)
  • Fire: Volcanic rock amulet (5 florins)
  • Darkness: Orb of Darkness (cannot be purchased, only obtained from other Darkness Elementalists)

Warlocks

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Spellcasting: Use Magic Points to cast spells
  • Weapon Groups: At 3rd rank, specialize in 2 weapon groups; -2 attack with unfamiliar weapons
  • Simultaneous Casting: Can cast spells while fighting

8th Rank+ Advanced Abilities (select one per rank):

  • Appraise Enemy: Determine Profession and rank by observation (Psychic Talent check)
  • Arrow Cutting: Use defense vs missile weapons (except crossbow bolts)
  • Fight Blind: Only -2 attack/-4 defense when fighting blind (half normal penalty)
  • Unarmed Combat: d6 Armour Bypass, 3 HP damage when fighting unarmed
  • Minor Enchantment (Weapons/Armour): Create +1 magical items
  • Major Enchantment (Weapons/Armour): Create +2 magical items
  • Ride Warhorse: Can ride warhorses

Assassins

1st Rank Abilities:

  • Stealth: Exceptional stealth and perception scores (18/8 vs 13/5 for others)

Combat Techniques (select one at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th ranks):

  • Armour Piercing: +1 to Armour Bypass Rolls with sword, staff, dagger, shortsword, or throwing spike
  • Shock Attack: If approaching within 3m unnoticed, automatic surprise + special effects if higher rank than opponent
  • Throwing Spikes: Can throw up to 3 spikes per action; (d2+1, 2) damage for Assassins
  • Unarmed Combat: d6 Armour Bypass, 3 HP damage when fighting unarmed

Mental Techniques:

  • Inner Sense (4th Rank): Sense pits, obstacles, beings, or traps within 1m in darkness (Psychic Talent check)
  • Memorize (4th or 8th Rank): 100% recall for last month, decreasing 10% per month to minimum 10%
  • Deathvow (12th Rank): Set to kill specific target; +10 attack, +2 Armour Bypass and damage, fight until death (-3 HP)

Meditational Techniques:

  • Light Trance (1st): Recover extra 1d8 HP + 20% chance to neutralize poison/disease (1 day)
  • Darkness Trance (2nd): Suspended animation up to year and a day (2 hours preparation)
  • Water Trance (4th): Mind Cloak effect for 20 minutes (1 hour preparation)
  • Earth Trance (6th): Immunity to heat/cold, reduced fire damage to 10 HP, can hold breath 1 hour
  • Void Trance (8th): Hidden Target effect for 15 minutes (30 minutes preparation)
  • Fire Trance (10th): Swiftness effect for 5 minutes (1 hour preparation)
  • Wind Trance (12th): Intangibility with Spell Expiry Roll (1 hour preparation)

Alchemical Techniques:

  • Assassin's Lotion: Normal poison for weapons; 5 applications, 150 florins, 3 days
  • Smoke Jar: Functions like Vial of Smoke; 100 florins, 2 days, counts as 2 encumbrance
  • Flash Pellets: Blind all within 5m for 1 round; 50 florins each, 1 day for 3 pellets

Skills (can exchange techniques for additional skills):

  • Climb: Scale walls and surfaces
  • Disguise: Alter appearance to avoid recognition
  • Pilfer: Pickpocketing and petty theft
  • Pick Lock: Open locks (requires lock picks, 50 florins)
  • Track: Follow opponents/prey (can select twice for +2 bonus)

Combat Resolution

Basic Combat Procedure

Each 6-second Combat Round follows this sequence:

  1. Hit Roll: Attacker's attack score - defender's defense score = target number to roll ≤ on 1d20
  2. Armor Bypass Roll: Roll higher than opponent's Armor Factor using weapon's die type
  3. Damage Roll: If bypass successful, roll weapon damage dice

Combat Modifiers

  • Range: -1 attack per range category beyond Short
  • Multiple Opponents: Split defense among all attackers
  • Surprise: Surprised opponent has 0 attack, defense, and evasion for first round
  • Cover: Various modifiers based on protection level

Magic System

Magic Point System (Sorcerers, Elementalists, Warlocks)

  • Daily MPs: 3 × Rank + Psychic Talent modifier
  • Spell Costs: Vary by spell level and intensity
  • Recovery: Full MPs restored after 8 hours rest

Psychic Fatigue System (Mystics)

  • Fatigue Check: After each spell, roll under (15 + Rank) on d20
  • Failure: No more spells that day
  • Spell Mastery: One selected spell never causes fatigue

Spell Types

  • Direct Attack: Magical effects targeting mind/spirit
    • Resolution: Magical Attack vs Magical Defense on 2d10
    • Examples: Fossilize, Enthrall, Death spells
  • Indirect Attack: Physical effects (fire, lightning, etc.)
    • Resolution: Spell Speed vs Evasion on 2d10
    • Examples: Dragonbreath, Firestorm, Energy Bolt
  • Range: Varies by spell
  • Duration: Instantaneous, fixed time, or "Spell Expiry Roll applies"
  • Extra MPs: Can boost direct-attack spells to overcome defenses

Spell Duration & Expiry

Spell Expiry Rolls (for durational spells):

  • Most Casters (Sorcerers, Elementalists, Mystics): Roll 2d6 each round
    • 2-11: Spell continues
    • 12: Spell expires
  • Warlocks: Roll d20 each round
    • 1-19: Spell continues
    • 20: Spell expires

Out-of-Combat Rolls (per minute instead of per round):

  • Most Casters: 75% chance to continue (roll 01-75 on d100)
  • Warlocks: 60% chance to continue (roll 01-60 on d100)

Voluntary Termination:

  • Sorcerers/Elementalists/Warlocks: Takes 1 Combat Round, recover half MPs spent (rounded down)
  • Mystics: Instant, no action required, no MP recovery (since they don't use MPs)

Other Rules:

  • Spell Overlap: Can have multiple different durational spells active, but can't "double up" the same spell
  • Mystic Spell Mastery: Can select one spell to have "always on" without fatigue checks
  • Armor Spell Failure: Sorcerers/Elementalists have miscast chances in armor (10% mail hauberk, 20% mail armor, 30% plate)
  • Death/Unconsciousness: Mystic spells expire immediately if caster dies or is knocked out

Stealth and Perception

Basic Mechanics

  • Stealth Roll: (Stealth score - target's Perception score) = target number on 2d10
  • Environment: Rules assume dim light with shadows (typical dungeon)
  • Frequency: Roll only when moving within 15m or hiding within 7m of targets
  • Automatic: Roll of 2 always fails to hide, roll of 20 always succeeds

Stealth Modifiers

  • Armor Penalties: Mail Hauberk -3, Mail Armor -4, Plate Armor -6
  • Movement: Not moving +3, quickly -2
  • Distance: Within 3m -5
  • Cover: No cover available -5

Perception Modifiers

  • Light: Pitch darkness -7, broad daylight +5
  • Attention: Asleep -9, looking away -5, listening intently +2
  • Noise: Extraneous noise -3 or more

Special Vision Types

  • Normal: Best in daylight, -7 in darkness
  • Panoptical: No penalties for light conditions
  • Darksight: +5 in darkness, -7 in bright light
  • Elfsight: -4 in darkness, no penalty in light
  • Gloomsight: Best in half-light

Characteristic Effects Table

Strength Effects

  • 3-5: -2 Attack, -1 Defense
  • 6-8: -1 Attack only
  • 9-12: No effect
  • 13-15: +1 Attack only
  • 16-18: +2 Attack, +1 Defense

Reflexes Effects

  • 3-5: -1 Attack, -2 Defense, -2 Evasion, -1 Stealth
  • 6-8: -1 Defense, -1 Evasion
  • 9-12: No effect
  • 13-15: +1 Defense, +1 Evasion
  • 16-18: +1 Attack, +2 Defense, +2 Evasion, +1 Stealth

Intelligence Effects

  • 3-5: -1 Attack, -1 Defense, -1 Magical Attack, -1 Magical Defense
  • 6-8: No effect
  • 9-12: No effect
  • 13-15: No effect
  • 16-18: +1 Attack, +1 Defense, +1 Magical Attack, +1 Magical Defense

Psychic Talent Effects

  • 3-5: -2 Magical Defense, -1 Perception
  • 6-8: -1 Magical Defense
  • 9-12: No effect
  • 13-15: +1 Magical Attack, +1 Magical Defense
  • 16-18: +2 Magical Attack, +2 Magical Defense, +1 Perception

Note: Characters with Psychic Talent 8 or less cannot use magic

Key Die Mechanics Summary

  • d20: Hit rolls, characteristic checks, climbing, general difficulty
  • 2d10: Stealth attempts, direct spell resistance, indirect attack evasion, fright attacks
  • 3d6: Characteristic generation, Strength poison saves
  • 1d6: Shield blocks, various damage rolls
  • Variable dice: Armor bypass (depends on weapon), damage
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    Dragon Warriors Rules Summary - Complete with Special Abilities | Claude