Amber Diceless

Character Generation

All characters gain 150 character points to spend, regardless of origin. Players do not gain extra stuff in exchange for various out of character activities. Characters must choose a template from the following list:

  • Amberite
    • Psyche: Amber [0]
    • Strength: Amber [0]
    • Endurance: Amber [0]
    • Warfare: Amber [0]
    • Powers: Pattern Imprint
    • Total Cost: 50CP
  • Chaosian
    • Psyche: Chaos Rank [-10]
    • Strength: Chaos Rank [-10]
    • Endurance: Chaos Rank [-10]
    • Warfare: Chaos Rank [-10]
    • Powers: Logrus Mastery, Shape Shifting
    • Total Cost: 40CP

There is no such thing as 'Rank'. Players should simply distribute points for their character. Determining success depends on a comparison of attribute totals. This makes it far easier for new characters to join a campaign and more equity with non-player character comparison.

Power Arbitration

Pattern

Sorcery

A character with Pattern Imprint and Sorcery can hang spells on the Pattern, just like a Chaosian can with Logrus Mastery.

Shape Shifting

Shape Shifting is a flexible power. It allows the character to entirely reshape his physical form. This doesn't affect the character's attributes themselves, but can provide advantage in a contest. As an example, if a Shape Shifter shifted into his Chaos Form, it would provide both armor and weapons, perhaps even poisoned attacks. How much this shifting provides an advantage depends on the situation. The average Shape Shifter might gain Resistance to Normal Weapons and Extra Hard, making them deadly verses a warrior using normal weapons and armor. Meanwhile, a very powerful Shape Shifter with a high Endurance could gain the equivalent of Resistant to Firearms and Double Damage. A Shape Shifter with a Poisoned Form might add another advantage if his Endurance exceeds his attacker's, and so on. Versatility and the possibility of gaining advantages, that's the key to Shape Shifting.

Sorcery

Sorcery is one of the more difficult things to work with in Amber Diceless. With the rules so flexible and fluid, it's hard to pin down what you can and cannot do with a spell. It works in a similar fashion to Shape Shifting. Use the guidelines below to determine this.

First, either the Logrus or the Pattern makes a character immune to a Shadow's magic if the target has time to call the Logrus or Pattern into his mind; if he's taken entirely by surprise, the magic can affect him, though the caster is at a disadvantage. However, Sorcery fueled by the Logrus or the Pattern can affect such characters normally, within a few guidelines. Magic does not outweigh character attributes; it allows a measure of versatility and in some cases provides an advantage to the caster. As an example, a character wearing lots of metal armor who is attacked by a lightning bolt would be considered to be at a disadvantage at resisting the spell. The game master would still compare the attacker's Warfare (possibly augmented by the caster's Psyche due to the spell) to the target's Warfare as normal, taking this disadvantage into account.

Sorcery is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, in other words.

  • Example 1: Merlin is in a fight with Benedict, and casts a lightning bolt spell, sending a bolt of lightning streaming through the air towards Benedict. Merlin's Warfare is far below Benedict's Warfare, and his Psyche is below Benedict's Warfare as well. Benedict easily avoids the lightning bolt: Merlin's in trouble, now!
  • Example 2: Now, Fiona is in a similar situation, and she casts a lightning bolt spell. While her Wafare is below Benedict's, her Psyche is at least as good as his Warfare. Benedict has an advantage, but not an overwhelming one and if she uses other modifiers such as terrain, guile, and so forth she might tag him with the blast. While it might not severely damage him, she has a good shot at doing some damage to the warrior.

Games