Lore and House Rules

1. Ability Specific Experience Points (xp)

In the mini-adventure Cold Flame, the idea of the experience point (xp) was introduced, allowing characters to improve their strength and agility.  (Sign up for the official Lightraiders newsletter at https://lightraiders.com/ to gain access to the official mini adventures)

This house rule expands on this concept and introduces the idea of gaining Ability Specific XP. When players first roll up a character, they need to choose three weapons and three special abilities. New weapons may be discovered that no one knows how to use. Swimming is learnable. This rule allows characters to gain skill in areas they did not originally train in.

a. For Other Optional Abilities

• Calculate the other optional abilities not chosen by the player. These become potential ratings. The character still only has Level 1 in each of these abilities.

• As characters perform, pass DL checks, or receive training in the abilities, they gain an ability specific Experience Point.

• For every 20 XP, the character’s ability raises by one.

• If a player increases their core strengths, their original 3 abilities will index up with their strengths, but any other optional ability only has the potential to index upwards, even if they had trained to a maximum level.

For example, a character’s special abilities might be Hatred of Evil, Merciful Compassion and Talk With Locals. This automatically makes other abilities like Water Movement a Level 1.

First, calculate what their water movement ability could be according to the formulas in the handbook. For example, it might be a 6. They have a potential of working up to WM level 6. Their current WM ability becomes 1 of 6.

Every time they pass a water movement check, they gain a water movement xp point. Once they gain 20 WM xp, their WM ability raises from 1 to 2. As they continue to gain experience, they can work up to their character’s potential of 6.

If they attain WM 6 one day, but their core strengths are raised, changing the WM calculation to 7, their current WM remains at 6, and needs to be trained to Level 7. (while the original abilities of HE, MC and TL index up automatically).

b. For Other Weapons

• Similarly, players choose 3 weapons for their characters to wield. These weapons are the weapons they received training in during their time at the academy. These weapons will index upward automatically as core strengths improve.

• If characters come across new weapons, they are unfamiliar with them, and the weapon ability is 1 if they use them.

• As characters practice with new weapons, they gain weapon specific xp. For every 20xp, the weapon ability increases by one.

  • For example: A character’s weapons are hand-to-hand combat, sling, and sword. They acquire a spear during their adventures. Their spear ability is automatically 1, since they are untrained.

  • Calculate their potential spear ability using the formulas in the Lightraider Handbook.

  • If they use the spear in battle, practice during their off-time, and/or receive instruction from trained users, they gain spear specific xp points.

  • After their first 20xp, their spear ability raises from 1 to 2. And so on, until they’ve reached their maximum potential for that weapon.

• Recommendation: At the beginning of a mission, ask players to choose which weapons they are bringing with them, and limit it to three. Any other weapons they might have they can leave in their barracks room at Ras Telesar.