Joe's House rules: ASTM rounding

Backgrounds Characters have 15 pts to spend (A to E) - minimum 1 in each.

A Size - determines Ht., Wt., Body, and part of Bench Press calculation
rank Male ht/wt Fem ht Fem Wt For 'random' character only. If 'designed' the character
1 Tiny -2d6 -4d6 -2d6 looses 6 background points and only assigns (C to E)
2 Small -d6 -2d6 -1d6
3 Medium +d6 -d6 +1d6 Ht. 66in + mod (value)
4 Large +2d6 +d6 +1d6+3 Male= 25lbs + (Size pts*50) +rolled (value)
5 Huge +4d6 +2d6 +2d6 Female = (Size pts*50) +rolled (value)
B Age - used to calc. skills, 'perceived age', Bonus Stat points
rank Perceived Age Bonus to Attribute
1 Youth 11-20 +1 to Agi & Cha
2 Young 21-30 +1 to Str & End
3 Adult 31-40 +1 to Int
4 Mature 41-50 +1 to 2Int, -1Agi
5 Advanced 51+ +1 to 3Int, -1S,E
C Tech Limit - Comfort zone of technology
rank Mod Invention: Standard failure rolls (96-100) are reduced by 1% per each 25%
1 Dark Age 0.5 above "100%". Critical success indicates double effect or (1/2$ costs)
2 Victorian 1 for new or upgraded invention. Crit failure indicates the character looses the
3 Current 1.5 inventing point and must 'think up' a different way (another point) or succeded
4 Future 2 with disasterous results. (blows up, unable to turn off, etc.)
5 Alien 2.5 Tech Limit Mod: Determines actual inventing %, based on
D Learning Level - formal education. familiarity with tech. Subtract your tech Mod from the Mod of the
rank Last School level invention you want to make. (Lazer pistol - future 4) If your rank
1 Grade was lower (Victorian) devide your inventing % by the total, if your
2 Middle rank was higher, multiply. Remember, the character must have
3 High knowledges that apply to the basic concept to make the attempt.
4 College Max knowledges= (rank) Age + (rank) tech + (rank) Learning
5 University knowledge points per lvl = (rank) Learning + Int/4
E Wealth - Show me the money!!!
rank $$$ Mod Per week = [Tech(mod) + Age(ranks)] * Wealth (mod)
1 Broke $1 Starting savings= Yrs age * Wealth (mod) * [Int/2]
2 Poor $10 Note this is based on 1900 wealth, for every year after multiply by
3 Average $100 (year)*0.1, thus 19(50) = 5* wealth total. For each century before
4 Well Off $1,000 1900, devide the $$$ mod by 10, thus if playing in the 1700's, the
5 Rich $10,000 money mod for rank 1 would be $0.01, if 2001 rank 1 mod = $10.
F Media - Character Base* GM sets the game 'feel' - assigns level
rank Value Powers and Skills Weakness (powers are all charts except skills)
1 Athlete 0.5 0 d4 1
2 Sidekick 0.75 d2 d4 1 Popularity (recognition) = Media+Cha/6 +lvl
3 Agent 1 d2(+*) d4 (+*) 1 Local on D20
4 Hero 2 d2(+*) d4 (+*) 1 National = (Popx3) on D%
5 Super 3 d2(+*) d4 (+*) 1 Global = (Popx2) on D%
*At each 10 levels earned they gain 1 power (or skill) and +1 media level.

Max Spell/Psi = (Int/2 + Cha/10)* Media Value Maximum number of spells/talents you can design.
Extra spells slots are used to improve existing spells without spending inventing points.

Knowledges: Stat based, with '20' as standard success, D% as hard (quick action)
 Rules adjustments
1. All stats are capped at 18 unless a heightened stat is rolled.
If a character has a 18 stat and wants to improve it over 18 and they do not have 4 skills, they must
train (level advancement) for one level of "heightened stat". This training gives them 2 attribute points
and gives them the Heightened x (stat) skill (raises max by 20) and the ability to use future levels to
increase the stat to the new max.
Note: If the character has already hit the threshold of 4 skills he cannot buy any other skills.
see Level 10 exceptions under (F) Media level of characters.
2. Skills (on the powers chart)
Each character can have up to 4 Skills, if a player rolled 1 skill they may buy more using the training
rule to buy more. This new skill comes at the least value (Heightened Deff -1)
3. Inventions:
New inventions have only 1 factor of the power, 1/3 the effect (dam/rng/dur) and costs PR*3 if powered
by the character (or suit) or has a limited number of charges (1d8) per day or per battery/clip, etc.
Inventions can be used to upgrade previous inventions by increasing the # of charges, decreasing the
PR cost, increasing range, duration, or damage possibly above the maximum of a rolled ability.
An Invention can also be used for a one time increase in savings. Recalculate the "starting savings" at
one level higher on the wealth rank table (or 2 ranks for a crit) and add that to the current savings.
Granted* spells or Psi Talents are slightly better, having 2 factors of a power than an invention.
* each level a character with spells or talents gains 1 granted power. Jo wants to make a fireball.
The Factors of an ability are: (Flame powers used as an example = 4 with breakdown)
A. How many effects are included in the power?
1 Burning Fists(breath, eyes, etc) - adds flame carrier HTH
1.2 Damage - reduced by 3 factors on the HTH chart (d6)
1.3 PR 6 (base pr2*3)
1.4 Duration 20 rounds (1/3 duration of 1 hr) ends at will
1.5 Takes 1 action to cast
2 Fire attack - ranged fireball
2.1 Range Factor: [S+E]/3 (reduced because it is not a power)
2.2 Damage - reduced by 3 factors on the HTH chart (d6)
2.3 PR 6 (base pr2*3)
2.4 Takes 1 action to cast
3 Legs of Flame - Flame based flight
3.1 Takes 1 action to cast
3.2 Duration 20 rounds (1/3 duration of 1 hr) ends at will
3.3 flight movement = land movement/3 in mph per round
4 Flame Defense - body is living flame with no loss of clothing/gear - no HTH Carrier
4.1 Takes 1 action to cast
4.2 PR 3 (base of all 0 pr costs is always 1 for a spell/invention = 1*3)
4.3 Duration 20 rounds (1/3 duration of 1 hr) ends at will
Jo creates a flame spell and picks Fire defense and attack as his 2 factors
After casting the spell his body is engulfed in flame and he throws a fireball.
If he does this the duration of the spell is 20 rnds (flame defense) and every times he throws a
fireball it costs him an action and 6 points of power. Jo can cast other spells or take other actions.
Or Jo Could have taken Fire attack; single action spell, but instead of adding a second factor he
decided to increase the base damage to 1d8, or reduced the power to (base Pr/2) 4, or increase
the range to [S+E]/2… if the character is improving the spell thru invention he picks 1 factor of the
spell to adjust, or in the event of a critical invention roll (rolling under 1/10th his inventing score)
 he gains 2 factors.

4. Knowledges (formerly knows as skills in standard d20 systems)

Players roll twice on the Backgrounds chart (included in the attachment )
Players take(or roll random) at least one knowledge from each of the 2 (3) backgrounds they rolled.
Player can take fill the remainder of their maximum skills with any skill they choose or keep
slots open for future needs, or if they do not have any skill points remaining.
Each knowledge is based on a Stat (see chart adjustment below) listed in the discription.
If the knowledge comes from the players Background chart, the formula for the Stat
base = Stat/3. If the knowledge is outside the characters Backgrounds it is Stat/6.
The Knowledge level is expressed as: Stat Base+Ranks (Skill points spent) = total
For every 10 knowledge levels the player gains a bonus:

A character in 1901 wants to invent a jet pack and has the following:
Knowledge Research at 18 points
Knowledge Engineering at 13 points
Inventing % = 45%
Tech Level = Future Tech - allowing him to make the device
He would have to roll under 48% (45+2 for research+1 for engineering)
OR
A character has a 16 knowledge in Judo and is fighting a thug.
His attack would look like this:
Base attack bonus 2
Judo bonus 2
Total bonus to hit using Judo = +4
If he only had 14 knowledge points in Judo his total bonus to hit would only be +3.
5. Media level of characters.
Media level designates the power level of the characters and the overall feel of the game. In the 1920's
heros were mainly humans with specialized training and a high degree of willpower. Occasionally
villians would appear with mystical occult knowledge or a 'strange device' that the hero had to
overcome to win the day. In the Golden age of comics heros gained powers from a multitude of
accidents with strange substances and laboratory experimentation, then came aliens and mutants.
Thus, the Media level of the game is just a reference point for the GM to determine where his group
of heros falls on the scale, and a way to balance characters accordingly. Noone wants to play in a
game where 2 players are pro basketball players and one is an invincible hero. If the characters
fight a villian of a higher media level, multiply the experience by 2x the rank difference. Every 10
levels reset the experience (Devide any remaining exp over the min to hit lvl 10 by 10 and keep)

A player creating a starting Side Kick would roll 1d2 Powers(devices/magic/items), 1d4 Skills, and
1 Weakness. They could discard any Power or Skill to discard the weakness. When they hit level
10 they could gain an additional Power, discard the Weakness (undergoes surgery, mutation, etc)
or take an additional Skill. The maximum number Skills increases by 1 irreguardless of what they
choose, thus they could gain an additional level of 'Heightened' if they had already hit the maximum.

Popularity is the measure of just how well known the character is in both local circles and across
the globe. If a thug 'knows' the hero by popularity alone, he be more inclined to run than fight.
If however, he has no knowledge of the person he is facing, he will feel safer in the company of his
fellow lackeys and attack. If the hero is well known as a spokesman or 'paper hero', a villian with a
high degree of fighting skills may intentionally seek out the hero in an attemt to gain a name for
himself.
01-04 MEDICAL 05-08 LEGAL 09-12 RESEARCH&TECH
01-20 Medicine 01-30 Law 01-10 Research
21-35 Biology 31-40 Business 11-25 Electronics
36-45 Veterinarian 41-50 Oratory 25-40 Programming
46-55 Forensics 51-60 Criminology 41-60 Engineering
56-65 Dentistry 61-70 Interrogation 61-70 Mathematics
66-75 Pediatrics 71-80 Politics 71-85 Mechanic
76-90 Surgery 81-90 Research 86-90 Trivia
91-95 Research 91-00 Intimidation 91-00 Business
96-00 Teach

13-16 LAW ENFORCEMENT 17 FINE ART

01-12 Law 01-25 Art
13-34 Fighting 26-40 Photography
35-46 Forensics 41-55 Poetry
47-58 Criminology 56-70 Forgery
59-60 Interrogation 71-85 Compose Music
61-62 Choose 86-95 Appraisal
63-64 Tracking 96-00 Mechanic
65-66 Riding
67-68 Disguise 18 COMMERCIAL ART
69-74 Driving
75-76 Pilot 01-05 Craft
77-78 Boating 06-25 Art
79-80 Programming 26-40 Architecture
81-82 Politics 41-45 Chef
83-84 Research 46-55 Disguise
85-90 Stealth 56-65 Forgery
91-92 Swim 66-80 Photography
93-94 Intimidation 81-95 Compose Music
95-00 Choose 96-00 Business

19 PERFORMING ART 73-78 Fighting

01-12 Play Instrument 79-84 Ventriloquism
13-24 Sing 85-86 Choose
25-36 Acting 87-88 Compose Music
37-42 Oratory 89-90 Disguise
43-48 Acrobatics 91-92 Language
49-54 Dancing 93-94 Photography
55-60 Escape Artist 95-96 Poetry
61-66 Impressionist 97-98 Stealth
 67-72 Sleight-Of-Hand 99-00 Swim

20-23 SOCIAL WORK 24-27 JOURNALISM &

& CHARITY BROADCASTING
01-05 Chef 01-20 Writing
06-15 Ecology 21-36 Oratory
16-25 Language 37-44 Interrogation
26-35 Politics 45-52 Photography
36-55 Sociology 53-56 Politics
56-65 Teach 57-64 Research
66-75 Medicine 65-68 Convince
76-80 Business 69-72 Criminology
81-85 Criminology 73-76 Programming
86-90 Programming 77-80 Language
91-00 Research 81-84 Choose
85-88 Stealth
89-92 Survival
28-31 SPORTS 93-96 Choose
01-16 Sport 97-00 Business
17-24 Acrobatics
25-30 Boating
31-38 Driving 36-39 CRIME
39-44 Riding 01-08 Locksmith
45-50 Swim 09-12 Appraisal
51-60 Fighting 13-20 Forgery
61-66 Climbing 21-28 Pick Pocket
67-72 Jump 29-32 Criminology
73-78 Throw 33-34 Demolitions
79-86 Intimidation 35-38 Driving
87-88 Survival 39-40 Escape Artist
89-90 Trapping 41-48 Gambling
91-92 Choose 49-56 Intimidation
93-94 Veterinarian 57-60 Choose
95-96 Navigation 61-64 Convince
97-98 Mechanic 65-66 Sleight-Of-Hand
99-00 Tracking 67-70 Stealth
71-78 Fighting
79-82 Business
32-35 EDUCATION 83-84 Disguise
01-70 Teach 85-88 Choose
71-80 Oratory 89-90 Cryptography
81-90 Trivia 91-94 Electronics
91-00 Programming 95-96 Programming
 97-98 Interrogation
99-00 Climbing

40-43 MILITARY 44-47 Government

01-15 Fighting 01-15 Law
16-22 Survival 16-30 Business
23-27 Tactics 31-60 Politics
28-30 Cryptography 61-75 Sociology
31-34 Demolitions 76-80 Forgery
35-39 Driving 81-85 Programming
40-43 Electronics 86-90 Language
44-47 Programming 91-95 Research
48-50 Engineering 96-00 Intimidation
51-54 Navigation
55-58 Gunnery 48-51 AGRICULTURE
59-61 Interrogation 01-25 Botany
62-65 Mechanic 26-45 Ecology
66-68 Photography 46-60 Zoology
69-72 Choose 61-75 Business
73-75 Climbing 76-80 Veterinarian
76-79 Stealth 81-85 Navigation
80-82 Swim 86-90 Animal Handling
83-86 Intimidation 91-95 Riding
87-90 Choose 96-00 Survival
91-93 Disguise
94-96 Language
97 Riding 56-59 SCIENTIST
98-00 Pilot 01-04 Bionics
05-14 Programming
15-18 Biology
52-55 SCHOLAR 19-22 Chemistry
01-08 History 23-30 Physics
09-16 Philosophy 31-34 Astronomy
17-24 Trivia 35-38 Paleontology
25-32 Cryptography 39-42 Anthropology
33-40 Language 43-46 Archaeology
41-48 Linguistics 47-50 Botany
49-56 Occult 51-54 Forensics
57-64 Research 55-58 Cryptography
65-72 Sociology 59-62 Ecology
73-80 Theology 63-66 Geology
81-84 Appraisal 67-76 Mathematics
85-88 Forgery 77-86 Research
 89-92 Programming 87-90 Choose
93-96 Politics 91-94 Zoology
97-00 Teach 95-98 Electronics
99-00 Teach
60-63 COMMUNICATIONS 64-67 RELIGION &
01-10 Cryptography MYSTICISM
11-15 Law 01-16 Theology
16-40 Electronics 17-28 Philosophy
41-60 Business 29-44 Occult
61-70 Programming 45-56 Parapsychology
71-80 Language 57-60 History
81-00 Photography 61-64 Language
65-68 Poetry
69-72 Sing
68-71 PSYCHOLOGY 73-76 Sleight-Of-Hand
01-15 Psychology 77-80 Research
16-30 Parapsychology 81-84 Teach
31-45 Medicine 85-88 Fighting
46-60 Criminology 89-92 Ventriloquism
61-75 Interrogation 93-96 Business
75-90 Sociology 97-00 Intimidation
91-95 Intimidation
96-00 Convince
76-79 BUSINESS
& SALES
72-75 MANUFACTURING 01-40 Business
01-30 Business 41-60 Convince
31-45 Electronics 61-90 Appraisal
46-55 Programming 91-00 Language
56-75 Engineering
76-95 Mechanic
96-00 Craft 84-91 TRANSPORTATION
01-20 Pilot
21-45 Driving
80-83 ACCOUNTING 46-65 Boating
& FINANCE 66-75 Navigation
01-25 Mathematics 76-80 Business
26-50 Business 81-85 Language
51-65 Appraisal 86-90 Mechanic
66-80 Gambling 91-95 Swim
81-90 Programming 96-00 Choose
91-00 Research
92-00 Roll twice, ignore 92-00