Chapter 1 - The Core Game

Assumptions of Knowledge

Anarchy Realms assumes certain things about you. One is that you understand what a role-playing game is. There are word choices and language used that assumes a certain amount of knowledge beforehand. But understand that this knowledge is easy to find, and where possible it uses language that is commonly accepted vernacular. If new or uncommon knowledge is used, it is often described immediately. As this is being live written for an always on audience, this section: Chapter 1, will be a sort of gateway to the rest of the system.

As words are written on content created, new pages and sections will be linked from here to the new areas. This first chapter is meant to be used as a general overview of the game, with details to be expanded on in their own sections. So don't worry about feeling overwhelmed now. All information will come in time.

What do you need to play?

A GM (Game Master), some players to control the PCs (Player Characters), some dice (known as d20, d12, d10, d8, d6 and d4), and a way to keep your information together (commonly referred to as a character sheet).

Some people use digital dice. Some people keep their info on Note Cards or even in an excel sheet. However you do it, is up to you. Some people say you need to have an adventure, but sometimes all you need is a hook and some improv. No matter how you choose to play, even with recommended materials or not, the goal is to have fun with friends or acquaintances and to spend valuable time together. And yes, maybe that DOES involve an adventure.

Finally, you may want to be able to reference the rules. But its okay if you remember the wrong thing, or resolve something the wrong way. As long as everyone is having fun and the game isn't getting so out of hand that you cheapen the fun out of it, then the rules don't matter at all!

Ground Rules for RAW x RAI

RAW or Rules as Written is often touted as a gospel. There is also RAI or Rules as Intended, which says to ignore parts of the rules that contradict each other or make things break the game and to seek the proper intent of the rule. This sort of debate is often handled like lawyers discussing laws. For that reason some ground rules should be established, such as the one above: "As long as everyone is having fun and the game isn't getting so out of hand that you cheapen the fun out of it, then the rules don't matter at all!"

Other ground rules include:

Round up all fractions

Regardless if it is below half or not, round up all fractions.

Do not stack similarly named or like abilities

If an ability gives you advantage on stealth, and a piece of equipment does as well, you do not roll 3 dice take the highest. If two different things lower your Body attribute, only take the highest affecting one, even if the abilities are different. You can still apply two circumstance reductions (since circumstances just counts total number of events).

Do not take a bonus past +5 or -5

Regardless of how many bonuses you get, +5 is the maximum bonus you can get to. Similarly with a -5. You can count past 5 for the purpose of totaling the amounts, but after everything is accounted for, the totals above +5 or below -5 become +5 and -5 respectively.

"As long as everyone is having fun and the game isn't getting so out of hand that you cheapen the fun out of it, then the rules don't matter at all!"

How to Play Anarchy Realms

Anarchy Realms operates on different layers depending on the situation. This is done to help the Game Master (GM) and Players to keep things organized and easier to manage.

These layers share words and ideas to keep the concepts grouped together in your mind, but the goal of these is to arbitrate the results.

Because of this game play occurs in the following layers:

Free Play

Free Play means that players get to put their input at any time, giving room for someone else to finish their actions. This covers most broader gameplay modes, such as Overworld Travel, Downtime, and Planning.

Zone Based

Zone Based play means that you are focused on a particular area. This is a zoomed-in version of Free Play. This includes City or Town Travel, Dungeon Exploration, or Special Events.


Turn-Based

Turn-Based play means you are focused on timing. Turn-Based just means that the order of operations matters for the situation, such as people speaking over each other and the like. Social Events, Theater of the Mind Combat (such as easy fights), and the like take place on this level.


Grid-Based

Finally, Grid-Based play means you are dealing with detailed combat scenarios that require strategic thinking and planning. Each of these levels contains aspects of the previous levels.

What is the Core Mechanic?

  The core mechanic of this game is rolling dice, usually multiple at once, in the hopes of getting higher numbers. When rolling dice any dice you roll more than once you take the higher of them and ignore the rest (if you roll multiple base dice, d20, you only take the highest d20).

  When you receive a bonus on an Attribute, Skill, or Circumstance die, you go up the chain on the dice rolling from no dice all the way to a d12. You take the highest bonus dice regardless of the type of die.

  When you receive a deficit on an Attribute, Skill, or Circumstance die, you go down the chain from no dice to -d12. You take the highest deficit die, regardless of the type of die.


0 = no dice, 1 = d4, 2 = d6, 3 = d8, 4 = d10, 5 = d12


  Your Flat Level Bonus also gets reduced by 1 for every level above you a target is, up to double your base Flat Level Bonus negative (maximum -10). The reverse is also true for each level above the target you are (maximum +10).

The Formula

  Base Die (d20) + the highest of the Conditional Dice (Attribute Die [d4,d6,d8,d10, or d12] + Skill Die [d4,d6,d8,d10, or d12] + Circumstance Die [d4,d6,d8,d10, or d12]) + Flat Level Bonus (+1,+2,+3,+4,+5 through +10 or -10).


Base + Conditional(Attribute/Skill/Circumstance) + Flat Level Bonus

(If it helps, just think about BASCing in the Fun...)

Example

  For example, you are level 8 against a level 11 enemy. So they apply a -3 to your Flat Level Bonus of +2 for your level (-1 Flat Level Bonus total).
   You have Journeyman (+2 skill) with common weapons (Circumstance +1). They are wearing Heavy Armor (-3 Circumstance for you, that they know how to use (-1 Skill for you).(+1 skill, -2 circumstance)
   You are making a melee attack so you have Blood (+2)/Style(+3) as your attack attribute. You take the highest one (+3 attribute) and add that in. They have applied the condition Weakened 1 on you, so you get (-1 to your attribute roll). (+2 attribute)
   You have dazed them (+1 circumstance to you for each Condition someone else has, that doesn't affect an attribute, the way weakened does). If they are negative in defense that is treated as a positive for you, so that is (+1 circumstance).
   You roll d20 + [d6 (+3-1=+2 attribute) or d4 (+2-1 skill)] - [d4 (-2+1= -1 circumstance)] - 1 (+2 flat -3 enemy above level). So you roll 1d20+ (1d6 or 1d4 whichever rolls highest) - 1d4 -1.

Example 2

  For example 2, you are level 8 disarming a level 4 trap. So apply a +4 to your Flat Level Bonus of +2 for your level (+6 Flat Level Bonus).
   You have Expert (+3 skill) with disarming traps, but no tools (Circumstance -2).
   You are using your Blood attribute (+3 attribute) for this.

  Your ally is also helping with the lock, as they also having a disarming skill. So you get advantage on your base die.
  You roll 2d20 + [2d8 (+3 attribute) (+3 skill)] - [d6 (-2 circumstance)] + 6 (+2 flat +4 target below level). So you roll 2d20 (take the highest) + (2d8 take the highest) - 1d6 + 6.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Advantage and Disadvantage means you roll a die twice and take the highest or lowest of the two, respectively.

Advantage on a die roll applies to the base die by default, so unless it specifies a conditional die roll, it only applies to the base die roll. If you have advantage on a Skill die, but the Skill is at 0 then you roll 0 dice twice and take the highest 0. This also applies to Disadvantage.

Any die, including damage dice can be given advantage or disadvantage depending on abilities, skills, circumstances and GM fiat (though usually they explain why).

Base + Conditional (Attribute/Skill/Circumstance) + Flat Level Bonus

You'll usually know your Attribute, Skill and Circumstance (at least from your equipment) baselines.
  Attribute is only ever modified by Conditions or Boons that affect attributes, and you'll know if you are under that effect.
  All other conditions and boons apply to circumstance on a +1/-1 rate per condition or boon. So while different boons and conditions have other effects, just having one on you modifies your Circumstance.
  If it helps avoid confusion, the GM can roll the Deficit dice.

What are Attributes?

Anarchy Realms uses a six attribute system. These attributes help define your character: Mind, Body, Soul, Blood, Heart, and Bone. Each attribute has a set of skills it represents, such as your knowledge in Arcana or your ability to lift things over your head.

Mind

This focuses on representing your ability to critically think about subject matters. Helps with problem solving, intellectual agility, memory and recall.

Body

This prioritizes on representing your physicality, and how it leans towards being capable of doing things. It covers your dexterity, resilience and vitality.

Soul

This is your inner monologue. It represents your peace with the world, your studies and history. It is etched with your past.

Blood

This is your passion and drive. It is the inner fire of your creativity. Without this attribute, it is difficult to move you to do things.

Heart

This is your emotional intelligence. It is what helps you manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is where your compassion and authenticity come from. 

Bone

This is established by your aesthetic reasoning, it is full of symbolism about who you are. It also affects your appearance and how others perceive you. Where something else might hold your truth, this where it is expressed.

What are Skills?

Skills are part of a list of competencies the Player Character has. These include everything from what armor they can wear to their ability to sing. The amount of training affects the final result of a skill check.

Skills you have, increase the die chain towards you, and skills the opposition has, increase the die chain towards them. Think of the chain as a number line going from -5 to +5.

 You also add a Flat Level Bonus to your skills, based on level, regardless of training.

Untrained

-1 down the skill die chain (-d4), can be guided to use the skill, but does not know it themselves (someone else can put the armor on them, for example)

Known

No bonus to the skill die chain, meets minimum requirements to use the skill.

Trained

+1 up the skill die chain (d4)

Journeyman

+2 up the skill die chain (d6)

Expert

+3 up the skill die chain (d8), their use of the skill stands out

Master

+4 up the skill die chain (d10), their use of the skill is astounding

Legendary

+5 up the skill die chain (d12), using this skill is like breathing to them

Flat Level Bonus

Furthermore, your level grants you a Flat Bonus to all skills you attempt regardless of your competency with it, as a reflection of general experience. You can use Hero Points to add up to double your current Flat Bonus on a roll.

When something refers to your Flat Bonus, for example failing by double your flat bonus, it means taking this base number and doubling it to see what the difference is, and not the modified Flat Bonus you get while actually making the roll.

Other Flat Bonus

Some things give you a flat bonus to your rolls. Flat bonuses stack with the Flat Level Bonus, and have a maximum of +10 or a floor of -10.

What are Circumstances?

Circumstances are created by having non-attribute altering boons and conditions. They also happen from positioning in combat, such as surrounding an enemy (flanking), or from certain states like attacking from stealth, being invisible or being prone. You are also affected by the equipment you use, if you are using the proper tools, or are wearing armor.

If something benefits you, you gain a Circumstance bonus, and if something hinders you, you lose it.

Equipment is straight forward in how it affects your actions.

What are Hero Points?

Sometimes, you fail. But that’s okay, because when you fail you learn from it, granting you a Hero Point. If you fail a skill roll, and it is by less than double your flat bonus, you gain a Hero Point which you can spend right away to adjust the failure into a success. You can spend Hero Points to adjust your final roll result by up to your Flat Skill Bonus. This allows for you to get Hero Moments where success matters most.

Hero Points are also used as a resource for Stunts and other abilities. Things that use Hero Points will list them as a cost.

What is the narrative?

The campaign is based on the concept of the players being part of an organization called the Problem Solvers. They are based out of localized centers called Solver Sanctuaries.

Think of it like an adventurer’s guild, but with a narrower focus. Their job, aside from general helping of things people can’t do on their own or from other systems (they are not the town guard or the fire brigade, but might be tasked with helping those groups), is going into Labyrinths and destroying the Hearts inside, allowing the Labyrinths to collapse. They have to escape the Labyrinth before it does so.

References

The following things inspired the choices I make in the design of this game:

Tabletop: Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd, 4th and 5th edition, Pathfinder 2e, Big Eyes Small Mouth, Blades in the Dark, Core20, Kids on Bikes, Alessia

Video Games: Final Fantasy Tactics, Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy Series

Movies and TV Shows: Adventure Time, Avatar the Last Airbender, Conan the Adventurer, Frieren, Konosuba, Record of Lodoss War, Jobless Reincarnation, Tearmoon Empire

Books: Dealing with Dragons and the rest of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Darksword Trilogy, Deathgate Cycle Series, Rose of the Prophet Trilogy