Post Modern DnD glossary

  This is the glossary of the Ars_D&D.

Index

General Terms
Successful play
Class Ability
Civilian Ability
Bum Ability
Cadet Ability
Worker Ability
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Glossary


General terms

+10/- is shorthand for 10 damage reduced per hit for any weapon or spell. -10/- is 10 added to the damage per any hit. +10/silver is 10 damage reduced except for silver weapons. +10/(+1-+5) for 10 damage reduced per anything except +1 - +5 magical weapons.

Nonlethal damage based off dnd is the negative energy that can be used for energy effects of many types. This energy is ultraviolet or ultra blue-purple thats not seen by the human eye. Its effects are to weaken the body everytime its used for a spell by adding to a nonlethal damage total. Each point causes 6 months aging repairable by healing of any sort or rest for 10 min per point.

BAB is Base attack Bonus or what the bonus is for the attacker to hit.

For any dice rolls there are stats and Abbreviations needed to know thus for those who know go to next paragraph. AC = Armor class which means how difficult a person is to hit in rating. DC = Difficulty class that the DM or Dungeon master sets per encounter making or breaking skill checks or other checks. The rest are stat scores like Str = strength that modifies the character's Attack and Damage rolls in melee combat. Dex = dexterity that modifies the character's AC, Initiative, Ranged Attack and Reflex Save. Con = consitution that modifies the character's Hit Dice and Fortitude Save. Int = intelligence that modifies the character's Skill Points and Additional Languages. Wis = wisdom that modifies the character's Will Saves. Cha = charisma that modifies the character's NPC Influence Rolls. Charisma is a spiritual/soul attribute that the body expresses by feel.

The skill check: This is a 1d20 + skill modifier + situational modifiers + miscellaneous mods >= DC(Difficulty Class). The skill modifier is the skill rank with other variables, that are optional. The situational modifier is what may be effecting you. Class skill is the special ability or feat that the character works with or uses to mod a skill, via a miscellaneous mod. So, for a level 14 character, a 1d20 + 4 Skill rank and 3 Cn bonus + 3 situational + 10 Skill bonus >= 15 DC, so a d20(1)+4+3+3+10=21 is the lowest this character could roll. This is to make certain of ability or action success. Otherwise this is to roll a 10 or above on the d20+skill rank+modifiers.

An attack roll is a 1d20 + Attack modifiers >= AC target so attack modifiers consist of the combatant's base attack bonus, strength adjustment, and any other bonuses that apply to the attack roll but not spells for the spells are resolved by the skill check. A third level warrior kinetic has rolled 15 attacking a orc with a 6 AC. The warrior kinetic must roll has hit. A rolled 20 on a 1d20 is a critical hit via attack roll.

Modules are adventures built on the dnd d20 system. They describe the scenarios and events for dndthat make up game play. The Module can be made up by yourself, in advance or on the spot, for spontaneous fun.

PHB is the Player handbook for DnD and Epic Players Handbook, of the 3.5 edition, at the dnd resource, here for 2e to 4e Dnd books, Optional, is here at the 5e PHB site. Also if interested in 5e rules, look here or go here for the DnD rulebooks I have in pdf format.

Speed time gives +1 attack action to your attack ae melee/ranged with use of concentration check and a 1d4 to denote how many attacks you gain.

Slow time gives -1 attack action to your target upto -4, with the roll of a concentration check. Then a 1d4 to note how long they are slowed.

Stop time freezes victim/s for 1 full round upto 6 with a concentration check and a 1d6 to note how many turns you froze the victim.

Familiar: A magic user can obtain a familiar by taking 24 hours and using up 100 gp materials. The sorcere chooses the familiar kind. As the sorcere advances in level, his familiar also increases in power. A familiar starts with 100% hp and your stats. If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a 1d20+fortitude saving throw with a 10 or above as success. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcere level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount an is the experience point total can't go below 0 as the result of a familiar's demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point. A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time. Every two level higher than 20th the familiar's natural armor bonus and Intelligence each increase by +1. The familiar's spell resistance is equal to the master's level + 5. At 21st level and again every ten level higher than 21st, the familiar gains the benefit of the Familiar Spell epic feat for a spell of its master's choice.

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Successful actions in play

  The way to determine a success in this game, if you so choose to use this idea, is 1d20+focus or concentration rank or feel free to use straws by drawing them from the hand. The longest or shortest straw is success. Otherwise, the choice of success is sometimes; making by using d20 as 10+skill rank or mod and get a 15 or above. So if you use a 10+focus rank approach, then a 10 + 6 focus ranks (6) = 10+6=16 or automatic success by feel. Otherwise 10 + 4 focus rank = 10+4=14 or automatic fail.

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Class ability

  Every class in the Post modern DnD is using this ability. If a class is mentioned, then they also use the specific class abilities as well. The class ability can be mentioned as Bum ability (Ex), Worker ability (Ex), Ruler ability (Ex) and Civilian Ability (Ex).

 Class ability; The class in ability is where you can create by feel with what you have and make with the idea that is possible. Their ability is done to manifest the idea by what you think. This is intention, your intent that is a point and the soul creates the ability of the body. That makes the point by the spirit guided with the soul, this means your area energy is influenced into manifesting using the universes energy. You can create anything if you think to make with the soul and this guides the spirit into having you realize what was done by the insight. This is done by the roll of a d20 added to the focus rank with a 10 or above or use is the diceless system. The amount of damage or healing and duration is explained in the attack/spell/effect system.

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Civilian ability

 Bonus Languages: A class ability user may substitute Draconic for one of the bonus languages available to the character race. A civilian's bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of race. A civilian also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to civilians, which is learned upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language in addition to the regular allotment of languages and it doesn't take up a language slot. Civilians are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids. Druidic has its own alphabet.

 Animal Companion (Ex): A civilian may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the civilian on the adventures as appropriate for its kind. A 1st-level civilian's companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a civilian advances in level, the animal's power increases as shown on the table. If a civilian releases the companion from service,

The civilian may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

A civilian of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see below). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character's civilian level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character's civilian level and compare the result with the warlock druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion's powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid's effective level to 0 or lower, it can't be that animal.)

 Nature Sense (Ex): A civilian gains a +2 bonus on Nature and Survival checks.

 Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a civilian leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. The civilian may choose to leave a trail if so desired.

 Resist Nature's Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a civilian gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey.

 Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a civilian gains immunity to all poisons.

 A Thousand Faces (Su): At 13th level, a civilian gains the ability to change appearance at will, as if using the alter self spell, but only while in her normal form..

 Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.

A civilian's animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal's HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats). It is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.

Class level    Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj.   Str/Dex Adj.   Bonus Tricks
  Special
1st-2nd            +0                    +0                       +0                        1          
 Link, share spells
3rd-5th            +2                    +2                       +1                        2
 Evasion
6th-8th            +4                    +4                        +2                       3
 Devotion
9th-11th          +6                    +6                        +3                       4           
Multiattack
12th-14th        +8                    +8                        +4                       5

15th-17th        +10                  +10                      +5                       6
Improved evasion
18th-20th        +12                  +12                      +6                       7

Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion's kind, but make the following changes.

Class level: The character's civilian level. The civilian's class level stack with level of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion's abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion's base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion's base attack bonus is the same as that of a civilian of a level equal to the animal's HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal's HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster's Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion's existing natural armor bonus.

Str/Dex Adj.: Add this value to the animal companion's Strength and Dexterity scores.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the civilian might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don't require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don't count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The civilian selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed.

Link (Ex): A civilian can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn't have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The civilian gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

Share Spells (Ex): At the civilian's option, she may have any spell she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the civilian before the duration expires. Additionally, the civilian may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A civilian and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal).

Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects:

Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

 A civilian of sufficiently high level can select her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the civilian's level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.

4th level or Higher (level -3)
Ape (animal)
Bear, black (animal)
Bison (animal)
Boar (animal)
Cheetah (animal)
Crocodile (animal)1
Dire badger
Dire bat
Dire weasel
Leopard (animal)
Lizard, monitor (animal)
Shark, Large1 (animal)
Snake, constrictor (animal)
Snake, Large viper (animal)
Wolverine (animal)

7th level or Higher (level -6)
Bear, brown (animal)
Dire wolverine
Crocodile, giant (animal)
Deinonychus (dinosaur)
Dire ape
Dire boar
Dire wolf
Elasmosaurus1 (dinosaur)
Lion (animal)
Rhinoceros (animal)
Snake, Huge viper (animal)
Tiger (animal)

10th level or Higher (level -9)
Bear, polar (animal)
Dire lion
Megaraptor (dinosaur)
Shark, Huge1 (animal)
Snake, giant constrictor (animal)
Whale, orca1 (animal)

13th level or Higher (level -12)
Dire bear
Elephant (animal)
Octopus, giant1 (animal)/p>

16th level or Higher (level -15)
Dire shark1
Dire tiger
Squid, giant1 (animal)
Triceratops (dinosaur)
Tyrannosaurus (dinosaur)

1 Available only in an aquatic environment.

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Bum ability

 Freedom (Ex); you have the right to come and go, yet you are never accountable to having to pay from them feeling for you as you are a bum and don't have the money.

 Think (Ex); the area is to what you think it is. This causes you to reform the area by thinking about the things in it and its "there". This uses the energy of the items to form what you intend to create in a manifest, including the energy attack or healing. If an item is formed from energy, it's placed by spirit. This has an attack or healing amount of 1/2 level (round down)+d10+focus ranks in amount if intended to assault or heal someone. This means that if you had a level 20 and 15 focus ranks, then you'd get 10d10+15 in amount of health percent reduced per attack or increased per healing (until 100% that's the cap). In this case, the max would be 10*10+15=115% damage and 100% health you healed. The attack is either radiation or an element of earth, fire, air or water focused into the target.

 That can cause a collapse of the body and unconsciouness with a 1d10 and a rolled 5 or below of 1d6+focus ranks in rounds, in combat or melee) or minutes out of combat as the body falls to the ground with a successful focus or concentration check. That check is if focus check, is a rolled 10 or above with a 1d20+focus or concentration ranks. Say you have a 12 focus rank, then you'd get an automatic success. Each effect is instant and not with a duration unless its not an attempt to attack or healing. Then it lasts as long as you want it to last. Say you wanted to get an item or steal it, you get it by a successful concentration or focus check of a rolled 10 or above and it's there by feel in idea.

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Worker ability

 The dimensions (Ex); the dimensions account for what exists and its energy is thought creating what you want. Think about what you need and intend it to be there and its there by the power of the dimensions. This doesn't form attacks though it can cause collapse or the enemy to disappear, otherwise you can heal by a 1/2 level round down + d10 + charisma mod in amount. Say you were level 12 and had a 5 charisma level, then you were with 6d10+5 healing percent. This means your with a max of 65 points in percent healed.

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Cadet ability

 Learning (Ex); you realize the thoughts of others, then focus your mind and do something about the idea if necessary. Add +2 to charisma and +3 to Intelligence.

 Raise (Ex); Think about the idea and you can create better results. This results in a raise in money. Add +5 to your luck.

 The dimensions (Ex); the dimensions account for what exists and its energy is thought creating what you want. Think about what you need and intend it to be there and its there by the power of the dimensions. This doesn't form attacks though it can cause collapse or the enemy to disappear, otherwise you can heal by a 1/2 level round down + d10 + charisma mod in amount. Say you were level 12 and had a 5 charisma level, then you were with 6d10+5 healing percent. This means your with a max of 65 points in percent healed.

 Graduation (Ex); Change your class name to graduated cadet. At level 20 you graduated as a cadet. Add +2 to all core stats and toughen up a bit with an additiional +50% health.

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Written by skyhawk
Contributors
Aaron H.
Aaron H. contact info:
Yahoo: DarkBlackWolf2k
Msn: Dark_Wolf2k@msn.com
Other contributers:
Leppy the leprecaan, Zackal, Kioku, Raven Wolf Claw, Balthazour, Lance Maelstrom, Jay and Tavruli

Sources
Chaos Magic for nonlethal magic system
Epic Level Handbook plus others found
here.
d20 System Reference (c) 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
"ARS Magica" book by Judith Tarr