Core Rules

Dice Mechanics

Chronicles of Valoria uses six-sided dice (d6) for all actions. When attempting a task, follow these steps:

1. Build Your Dice Pool: Start with dice equal to your relevant attribute.
2. Add Skill Dice: Add dice for any applicable skills (usually +1 or +2).
3. Roll Your Pool: Roll all dice together.
4. Count Successes: Each die showing 5 or 6 counts as a success.
5. Determine Outcome: Compare successes to the task's difficulty.

Difficulty Ratings

• Easy (1 success): Tasks most people could accomplish.
• Moderate (2 successes): Challenging but doable tasks.
• Hard (3 successes): Difficult tasks requiring skill and luck.
• Very Hard (4 successes): Tasks that push the limits of mortal capability.
• Nearly Impossible (5+ successes): Legendary feats rarely accomplished.

Critical Outcomes

• Critical Success: If half or more of your dice show successes, you achieve an exceptional result.
• Critical Failure: If you roll no successes and at least one 1, something goes wrong beyond simple failure.

Combat

Combat proceeds in rounds, with each participant taking one turn per round.

Initiative

Roll Body + Reflexes at the start of combat. Participants act in order from highest to lowest number of successes.

Combat Actions

On your turn, you may move up to your movement distance (typically 5 spaces) and take one action:

• Attack: Roll attribute + weapon skill to hit.
• Defend: Gain +1 die to defense rolls until your next turn.
• Cast a Spell: Play a card from your hand (see Magic rules).
• Use an Item: Activate an item, potion, or special equipment.
• Assist: Give another character +1 die on their next action.

Attack and Defense

• Attacker: Roll Body + weapon skill (or other relevant combination).
• Defender: Roll Body + Reflexes (or relevant defensive skill).
• Outcome: If attacker gets more successes, the attack hits. Otherwise, it misses.

Damage

• Weapon Damage: Weapons deal a fixed number of Wound points (typically 1-3).
• Armor: Reduces damage by its rating (typically 1-2).
• Critical Hit: On a critical success, add +1 Wound.

Health and Injuries

Characters can sustain Wounds equal to their Body attribute + 3 before becoming incapacitated.

• Light Wounds (up to half max): No penalties.
• Serious Wounds (more than half): -1 die to all actions.
• Critical Condition (max wounds - 1): -2 dice to all actions.
• Incapacitated (max wounds): Unable to act until healed.

Magic Card Mechanics

Using Cards for Spellcasting

The magic system in Chronicles of Valoria uses a standard deck of playing cards to represent the spells available to spellcasters. This creates a dynamic system where spellcasters must manage their magical resources strategically.

Spell Power Scaling

• Numbered Cards (2-10): The card's value often determines the spell's power level. For example, a "7 of Hearts" (Lesser Healing) heals more than a "3 of Hearts" (Soothing Touch).
• Face Cards: Represent powerful signature spells of each tradition.
• Aces: The most powerful spells available in each suit.

Special Card Rules

• Jokers: Wild cards that can substitute for any spell but require a roll on the Wild Magic table regardless of success or failure.
• House Rule Option: Allow players to play multiple cards of the same suit in sequence for combination effects.
• House Rule Option: Allow discarding three cards of the same value to "search" the discard pile for one specific card.

Magic Traditions

The four suits represent different magical traditions or approaches to spellcasting:

Dual-Tradition Spellcasters

Some characters may specialize in two magical traditions rather than just one. These dual-tradition spellcasters draw from both suits but have limitations:

• They draw 1 fewer card per day than single-tradition spellcasters.
• They can only hold cards from their two chosen traditions in their hand.
• They gain +1 die when casting spells from their primary tradition.

Magical Artifacts and Spell Cards

Magic items can grant access to specific spell cards:

• Spell Scrolls: One-time use of a specific spell card without a skill check.
• Wands and Staves: Allow casting of a specific spell once per day.
• Spellbooks: Grant additional cards of a specific suit when drawing cards.

Counterspelling

To counter another spellcaster's magic:

1. Discard a card of the same suit as the spell being cast.
2. Make an opposed Magic skill check against the caster.
3. If successful, the original spell is negated.

Magic and Physical Combat

Characters can blend magic and physical combat:

• Quick Cast: Cast a spell as a minor action with a -1 die penalty.
• Defensive Casting: Gain +1 die to defense but -1 die to casting.
• Spell Weapon: Imbue a weapon with a spell effect by playing a card before an attack.

Social Encounters

Not every challenge is solved with steel or spells. For social interactions:

1. Determine Approach: Choose how you approach the conversation (Charm, Intimidate, Reason, etc.).
2. Roll Appropriate Dice: Typically Mind + a social skill.
3. Interpret Results: GMs should reward creative approaches and good roleplaying with bonuses.

Social encounters may require multiple successful rolls for complex negotiations or to sway particularly stubborn individuals.