Shattered Realms is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game where players become adventurers exploring a world torn apart by powerful forces. Using the familiar core mechanics of the 5th Edition ruleset with a few unique twists, players dive into a world that has been fractured into mystical and dangerous shards, where every decision influences their future.
Rules
Need to get some more information on a specific ruling?
Shattered Realms Guide
What Is This Game?
The World and Setting Overview
The world of Shattered Realms has been broken by past cataclysms. Regions are divided into floating islands, broken kingdoms, and isolated areas linked by mysterious pathways and portals. This land is filled with challenges, remnants of ancient civilizations, and celestial influences that shape the Realms.
- Fractured Lands: Territories divided by arcane storms and mystical borders, each with unique opportunities and perils.
- Voidscars: Magical rifts that function as unpredictable connections, presenting both hazards and possibilities.
- Legacy of the Past: Artifacts and ancient secrets from forgotten times scattered throughout the Realms.
- Celestial Influence: Celestial beings and elemental forces often alter the world, providing either blessings or curses to those who encounter them.
How to Play
To play Shattered Realms, gather a group with one player acting as the Game Master (GM) and others as players. The GM guides the story and portrays the inhabitants, while players describe their characters' actions and responses to challenges. Gameplay is divided into three main modes:
- Exploration: Players travel through the fractured world, navigating dangers, finding hidden locations, and uncovering secrets.
- Social Interaction: Players communicate with NPCs, negotiate alliances, and gain information.
- Combat: Tactical, turn-based combat to overcome threats using spells, weapons, and special abilities. Combat remains largely based on the familiar 5e mechanics, with a few twists unique to the Realms.
Required Materials
To play Shattered Realms, you need the following:
- Character Sheets: To track characters' abilities, gear, and progress.
- Dice: A standard set of polyhedral dice (d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, d4). The d20 is used for most checks.
- Pencils and Paper: Useful for note-taking and map-drawing.
- Rulebooks: The Shattered Realms rulebook and the 5e Player's Handbook for reference.
- Miniatures and Battlemaps: Optional but helpful for visualizing combat encounters.
- Imagination: The most important element for creating and navigating the Shattered Realms.
Important Terms and Definitions
- Game Master (GM): The player responsible for describing the world and controlling its inhabitants.
- Character: A persona created by a player, with unique abilities, motivations, and traits.
- Ability Score: Core attributes like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
- Proficiency Bonus: A bonus added to certain rolls that increases as the character levels up.
- Skill Check: A roll made to determine success in a specific action using an ability score and proficiency bonus.
- Saving Throw: A roll to avoid negative effects such as resisting spells or environmental dangers.
- Voidscar: An anomaly that can alter magic, serve as a portal, or create unpredictable effects in the **Shattered Realms**.
Game Mechanics
Core Mechanics Overview
The core mechanics of Shattered Realms are based on the 5th Edition ruleset. Players will use ability checks, saving throws, and combat rolls to navigate challenges. The Game Master (GM) facilitates storytelling and determines the outcomes of actions based on player decisions and dice rolls.
Ability Checks and Saving Throws
Ability checks represent a character's effort to overcome challenges. Saving throws are used to resist dangers like spells or environmental hazards. Each check or saving throw involves rolling a d20 and adding the appropriate ability modifier. Success or failure is determined by comparing the roll to a specified Difficulty Class (DC).
Proficiency and Modifiers
Characters have a proficiency bonus that increases with level. This bonus is added to any roll involving a skill, weapon, or tool the character is proficient with. Ability modifiers are determined by the character's ability scores and can positively or negatively affect checks, saving throws, and attacks.
Advantage and Disadvantage
Certain situations grant a character advantage or disadvantage. When a character has advantage, they roll two d20s and take the higher result. When they have disadvantage, they roll two d20s and take the lower result. These mechanics represent favorable or unfavorable conditions and can significantly affect outcomes.
Inspiration and Hero Points
Characters can earn inspiration through roleplaying or heroic deeds, allowing them to gain advantage on a roll. Hero points are a special resource that represents moments of extraordinary heroism, enabling characters to influence crucial outcomes or push through difficult situations. When a character has an inspriation or hero point they can roll 1d4 and add it to the number rolled.
Combat Rules
Combat Overview
Combat in Shattered Realms follows a turn-based system where players and enemies take actions to overcome each other. The Game Master (GM) describes the environment, while players make decisions on how to respond. Combat is broken into rounds, with each round representing six seconds of action.
Initiative and Turn Order
At the start of combat, all participants roll for initiative using a d20 and adding their Dexterity modifier. The initiative roll determines the turn order for the duration of the combat encounter. Players and enemies take turns based on their initiative, with the highest roll going first.
Actions in Combat
During their turn, a character can take several types of actions, including an Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Ready, or Use an Object action. Each character typically gets one action per turn, though certain features or spells may allow additional actions. Unlike in DnD 5e, the help action grants an ally 1d4 to an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw.
Attack Actions
An attack action allows a character to make a melee or ranged attack against an enemy. Attack rolls involve rolling a d20 and adding relevant modifiers, such as proficiency and ability modifiers. If the result meets or exceeds the target's Armor Class (AC), the attack hits and deals damage.
Bonus Actions
Bonus actions are special, quicker actions that can be performed in addition to a character's main action. Certain class features, spells, or abilities grant bonus actions, such as making an off-hand attack when dual-wielding or using specific abilities like the Rogue's Cunning Action.
Reactions and Free Actions
A reaction is an action that can be taken in response to a specific trigger, such as an enemy moving away from the character. Characters have one reaction per round, which can be used for actions like an opportunity attack. Free actions are simple, quick actions such as speaking or dropping an item, which do not require the use of an action or reaction.
Movement and Positioning
Each character has a movement speed that determines how far they can move on their turn. Movement can be split before and after an action, allowing characters to move, attack, and then continue moving. Positioning is crucial in combat for gaining advantage, avoiding danger, or setting up allies for success.
Special Combat Situations
Special combat situations include grappling, shoving, and making improvised attacks. These actions often require opposed ability checks or specific rolls to determine success. Environmental factors such as difficult terrain, cover, and lighting can also impact combat, providing advantages or imposing penalties.
Conditions and Their Effects
Conditions represent various states that can affect a character, such as being blinded, paralyzed, or frightened. Each condition has specific effects that influence how the character can act. For example, a stunned character cannot move and automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Understanding conditions and their effects is crucial for navigating combat effectively.
Conditions and Status Effects
Conditions Overview
In Shattered Realms, conditions are states that can affect a character's abilities and actions during gameplay. These conditions can have both positive and negative impacts on a character's performance, and understanding how to manage and recover from these effects is essential to successful adventuring. Below are some common conditions, each with its specific effects.
Blinded
The character cannot see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight. Attack rolls against the character have advantage, and the character's attack rolls have disadvantage.
Poisoned
The character has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Grappled
The character's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated or if the character escapes.
Charmed
The character cannot attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects. The charmer has advantage on ability checks to interact socially with the character.
Frightened
The character has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight. The character cannot willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
Paralyzed
The character is incapacitated and can't move or speak. The character automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls against the character have advantage. Any attack that hits the character is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the character.
Stunned
The character is incapacitated, can't move, and can speak only falteringly. The character automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls against the character have advantage.
Restrained
The character's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. Attack rolls against the character have advantage, and the character's attack rolls have disadvantage. The character also has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Rules for Recovering from Conditions
Conditions can be removed through various means, depending on the specific condition and the resources available to the character. Here are some common ways to recover from conditions:
- Spells: Many conditions can be removed using spells like Lesser Restoration or Greater Restoration. These spells can cure conditions such as blindness, paralysis, or poisoning.
- Saving Throws: Some conditions allow a character to make a saving throw at the end of their turn to end the effect. The type of saving throw and the Difficulty Class (DC) are determined by the effect that caused the condition.
- Time: Certain conditions last for a specific duration, such as until the end of the character's next turn or for a set number of rounds. These conditions automatically end when the duration expires.
- Potions and Items: Some magic items or potions can remove conditions. For example, a Potion of Healing may not remove conditions directly but can help characters recover hit points, which might be necessary to avoid conditions like unconsciousness.
Interaction Between Multiple Conditions
Characters can be affected by multiple conditions at the same time. When this happens, all conditions apply simultaneously, and their effects stack. For example, a character who is both blinded and restrained suffers the penalties of both conditions: they have disadvantage on attack rolls from being blinded and cannot move due to being restrained.
Some conditions may overlap in terms of penalties or restrictions. In these cases, the effects do not cancel each other out. Instead, the character must contend with all applicable penalties. Players should carefully track the effects of each condition and determine the best course of action to remove or mitigate them as quickly as possible.
Character Creation
Step-by-Step Guide to Character Creation
Creating a character in Shattered Realms involves several key steps. These steps help you develop a unique character ready for adventure, with a rich background and distinctive abilities:
- Choose a Race or Species: Decide which race best fits your character's concept. The list of races can be found here for Shattered Realms or here for 5e Races.
- Pick a Class: Determine your character's role in the party. The list of classes can be found here for Shattered Realms or here for 5e Classes (2014 only).
- Select Background Feats: Choose either a traditional 5e background or a Shattered Realms background feat to enhance your character's story and mechanical abilities.
- Roll for Attributes or Use Point Buy: Assign values to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
- Choose Skills and Proficiencies: Select your character's skills and proficiencies based on class and background.
- Determine Starting Equipment: Equip your character with weapons, armor, and gear suitable to your chosen class. Starting equipment details can be found on the class pages.
Races and Species
Selecting a race or species for your character defines their physical traits, lifespan, culture, and innate abilities. Each race offers distinct advantages and characteristics that influence gameplay. You can find the full list of races here for Shattered Realms or here for 5e Races.
Classes
Choosing a class determines your character's role, abilities, and how they contribute to the party. Each class provides a unique set of features, proficiencies, and powers that develop as your character gains experience. You can find the full list of classes here for Shattered Realms and here for 5e Classes (2014 only).
Class Features and Progression
As your character levels up, they gain new features specific to their class. Understanding class progression helps you plan your character's growth and development. Detailed information about class features can be found on the respective class pages.
Background Feats
In Shattered Realms, characters can either use a traditional 5e background or select a Shattered Realms background feat which provides unique abilities and bonuses to enhance your character's story and abilities.
Attributes and Ability Scores
Attributes define your character's physical and mental capabilities. The six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) form the basis of most of your character's capabilities and determine their effectiveness in different situations.
Ability Score Modifiers: Each ability score has a modifier that impacts skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. For example, a high Dexterity modifier boosts your Armor Class (AC) and accuracy with ranged weapons.
Rolling for Stats or Point Buy
Players can determine their character's ability scores using either the rolling method or the point buy system. Rolling for stats can lead to higher variability, while point buy provides a balanced and consistent set of attributes for your character.
Rolling Method: Roll 4d6, drop the lowest die, and add the total for each ability score. Repeat this process six times.
Point Buy System: Players start with a set number of points to allocate among their attributes. Each attribute begins at a base value, and players can spend points to increase them, ensuring a tailored set of stats that fit their character's story and desired strengths.
Equipment and Starting Gear
At the beginning of the game, characters are equipped with gear that matches their class and background. Starting equipment details can be found on the class pages for specific items and choices available to your character.
Choosing Skills and Proficiencies
Skills and proficiencies reflect your character's talents and training. Each class and background offers a selection of skills, tools, and languages that your character is proficient in, granting bonuses to related rolls. You can find the full list of skills and proficiency options in the class and background descriptions.
Proficiency Levels:
- Proficiency: If you are proficient in a skill, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll. This bonus increases as you level up, making your character more capable in their areas of expertise.
- Half Proficiency: Some features, such as the Bard's Jack of All Trades, allow you to add half of your proficiency bonus to skills that you are not proficient in, reflecting a basic level of competency in those areas.
- Expertise: Certain classes, like Rogues or Bards, allow you to gain expertise in specific skills, doubling your proficiency bonus for those skills. This represents a superior level of mastery.
Passive Scores: Passive scores represent the average result of always being alert or using a skill without actively rolling for it. They are primarily used by the GM to determine if a character notices something without needing a roll.
- Passive Perception: Used to determine if a character notices hidden enemies, traps, or other details in their surroundings. Calculated as 10 + Wisdom (Perception) modifier + proficiency bonus, if applicable.
- Passive Insight: Used to determine if a character can sense deceit or understand another creature's emotions or motivations. Calculated as 10 + Wisdom (Insight) modifier + proficiency bonus, if applicable.
- Passive Investigation: Used to determine if a character notices clues or important details in their environment without actively searching. Calculated as 10 + Intelligence (Investigation) modifier + proficiency bonus, if applicable.
Spellcasting Ruleset and Multiclassing Guide for Shattered Realms TTRPG
Spellcasting & Multiclass Rules
All spellcasters in this system use a unified spell progression and spellcasting approach modeled after the dungeons and dragons 5th edition Bard class, granting versatility in spell acquisition and use. Each caster progresses along the following general framework.
Spell Slots and Spells Known
All casters have a progression identical to the Bard from DnD 5th Edition, simplifying the progression, meaning they know a limited number of spells but possess a flexible number of spell slots to cast spells of varying levels. This helps ensure that spellcasters remain both versatile and powerful, without requiring the complexity of larger spellbooks or preparation.
Prepared vs. Known Spells
Most spellcasters do not prepare spells. Instead, they know a certain number of spells, similar to a Bard, and may cast them freely using their spell slots. Only Mages are allowed the special exception of using spellbooks, which provides them the ability to prepare spells like a traditional D&D Wizard.
Mages must choose a number of spells from their spellbook to prepare each day, based on their level and Intelligence modifier. This creates a flexible but strategic system where Mages can adapt their spell repertoire to suit different challenges they may face throughout the day, similar to the Wizard class.
Spellcasting Focus
Below is a list of Arcane Focus options you can use. Some classes, such as the Spellblade and feats like Warcaster allow you to use weapons as an arcane focus. A caster can only benefit from one Arcane Focus at a time.
Unique Effects. A caster can only benefit from the unique use of one arcane focus at a time—their active focus. If they have a magic item, such as a Ring of Protection, and are using the Sky Blinder Staff, they benefit from the Ring’s magical effects and the staff's effects, but only the unique feature of the active focus.
You can use a non-magical item as your arcane focus instead of a magical one. For instance, if you have a common Crystal Orb and a Sky Blinder Staff, you may choose to use the Orb's unique effect rather than the staff's.
| Arcane Focus | Unique Arcane Focus Effect | Starting Equipment Gold Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Amulet | Grants a +1 bonus to saving throws. | 5 gp |
| Chalice (Reliquary) | Grants a +1 bonus to healing spells. | 5 gp |
| Colored Orb | After finishing a long rest, you can change the damage type of elemental spell you cast to match your orb's color. Elemental spells include acid (purple), cold (blue), fire (orange), lightning (yellow), and poison (green). This effect lasts until you finish your next long rest. | 20 gp |
| Crystal Shard | Grants the caster a +1 bonus to Wisdom skill checks. | 10 gp |
| Hat | You can attempt to cast a cantrip that you do not know. The cantrip must be on your spell list, and you must succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If successful, you cast the spell. If the check fails, the spell fails and the action is wasted. | 5 gp |
| Holy Symbol | Grants a +1 bonus to radiant damage spells. | 5 gp |
| Lantern | Casts bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. | 5 gp |
| Quarterstaff | Requires two hands to attack, dealing 1d12 bludgeoning damage. | 2 gp |
| Robes | Provides a base armor class of 10 + your spellcasting modifier and does not require armor proficiency. | 30 gp |
| Rod | Grants a +1 bonus to Charisma skill checks. | 5 gp |
| Ring | Grants a +1 bonus to AC while worn. | 15 gp |
| Staff | This weapon has the Versatile and Finesse properties, dealing 1d6 (or 1d8 when wielded with two hands) bludgeoning damage. | 5 gp |
| Tattoo | Allows the caster to ignore somatic components; however, they take damage equal to their proficiency bonus to do so. | 50 gp |
| Totem | Grants a +1 bonus to fire, cold, and lightning spell damage. | 50 gp |
| Cantrip Scroll | Allows the caster to cast any cantrip from their spell list even if they do not have the spell prepared, usable once per long rest. | 25 gp |
| Wand | Allows the caster to use an attack roll cantrip as a bonus action, but does not add their spellcasting modifier. | 10 gp |
Casting Spells
Spells are cast using the appropriate components, with the chosen arcane focus replacing the need for material components if they are not costly (generally those without a specific GP value). Somatic and verbal components still apply, unless specific features alter or remove the requirement.
Spell Lists
Spells categories. Spells are divided into three categories Arcane, Support, and Martial. Each class has access to a specific spell list, which helps to define their magical style and role within the group. When multiclassing, characters do not gain access to additional spell lists; they can only use the spell list associated with their original spellcasting class. The spell list access for each class is as follows:
- Cleric: Support
- Druid: Arcane
- Inventor: Martial
- Mage: Arcane
- Mystic: Support
- Spellblade: Martial
- Tamer: Support
5th Edition Class Conversion
- Artificer: Martial
- Bard: Support
- Cleric: Support
- Druid: Support
- Sorcerer: Arcane
- Ranger: Martial
- Paladin: Martial
- Warlock (Pact Magic): Arcane
- Wizard: Arcane
5th Edition Subclass Conversion
- Arcane Trickster (Rogue subclass): Martial
- Eldritch Knight (Fighter subclass): Martial
- Blood Hunter (Optional): Martial
Spells from 5th edition. A general rule is
Sorcerer, Druid, Wizard spells are Arcane;
Bard, Cleric, Druid, are Support;
Paladin, Ranger, are Martial. If a spell exists in both 5th edition and Shattered Realms the Shattered Realms version overrides the DnD 5e version of the spell including level, and effects. Characters directly from DnD 5e that do not wish to use any spell, multiclass, or spell list from Shattered Realms follow their original 5th edition class and subclass rules including multiclassing rules.
Multiclassing Rules for Spellcasters and Non-Spellcasters
Most spellcasters do not prepare spells. Instead, they know a certain number of spells, similar to a Bard, and may cast them freely using their spell slots. Only Mages are allowed the special exception of using spellbooks, which provides them the ability to prepare spells like a traditional D&D Wizard. Mages must choose a number of spells from their spellbook to prepare each day, based on their level and Intelligence modifier. This creates a flexible but strategic system where Mages can adapt their spell repertoire to suit different challenges.
Multiclass Spell Progression
Multiclass Spell Progression
When multiclassing between spellcasting and non-spellcasting classes, the spell progression remains based on the Bard progression. For spellcasters, levels stack to determine overall spell slot availability. For non-casters, each level contributes half a caster level (rounded down) when determining spell slot progression.
For example, a character with 4 levels in a spellcasting class (e.g., Inventor) and 4 levels in a martial class (e.g., Brawler) would have an effective caster level of 6, providing spell slots similar to a 6th-level Inventor. However, spells known are still limited by the levels in actual spellcasting classes.
Spells Known and Spell Slots
Multiclass characters only gain spells known from their spellcasting classes. Spell slots, however, are shared and pooled together based on the effective caster level as noted above. This provides multiclass characters with a greater number of slots but limits them in terms of the spells they can actually cast.
Important reminder; multiclass characters do not gain access to the spell list of another spellcasting class. They can only cast spells from the spell list of the original class in which they have spellcasting levels.
Non-Caster Multiclassing
When a character multiclasses into a non-casting class, they do not gain any additional spells known. However, they gain access to class features, proficiencies, and other benefits from that class, which can greatly augment their combat effectiveness and versatility.
Conversely, non-casters who multiclass into a spellcasting class begin with the Bard spell progression from that level onward, gaining spells known as listed in that spellcasting class, see unique effects below.
Unique Effects
A character may only have one unique effect active at a time, allowing them to focus on maximizing the use of one item’s properties. Unique Effect is alongside standard attunement rules.
For example, a Brawler-Mage multiclass is attuned to a Ring of Protection, wearing a basic Amulet, and equipped with medium armor. If they choose to activate the Amulet as their unique effect, they would receive +2 to saving throws and +1 to Armor Class, alongside the base Armor Class provided by the medium armor. This is because the Ring of Protection provides a +1 bonus to saving throws and Armor Class, while the Amulet adds +1 to saving throws. Since the chosen effect comes from the Amulet, no additional bonuses are gained from the Ring or any Unique Armor Effect related to medium armor.
- Unique
Arcane Focus Effect: Only characters who have the ability to cast spells can activate Unique Arcane Focus Effects.
- Unique Armor Effect: You can only activate Unique Armor Effects of armor you are proficient with.
- Unique
Weapon Effect: You can only activate Unique Weapon Effects of weapons you are proficient with.
Ability Scores and Requirements
Ability Score Requirements: To multiclass between a spellcaster and a non-caster, characters must meet the prerequisites for both classes. For most spellcasting classes, this means a minimum score of 13 in the primary spellcasting ability (e.g., Charisma for Sorcerers or Wisdom for Druids).
Primary Spellcasting Ability: Each class has a distinct primary ability that governs spellcasting. When multiclassing, players should carefully consider how ability scores are allocated to ensure they meet casting requirements.
Spell Slot Multiclassing
Unified Spell Slots: When a character has levels in more than one spellcasting class, they use a single pool of spell slots to cast spells from any of their classes. However, they must use the spells known from each class separately, and they can only cast a spell if they have learned it in that class.
Arcane Focuses: Multiclass characters can choose any arcane focus, regardless of their original class. This makes a Brawler-Mage just as capable of wielding a staff as a Mage or an Inventor using an arcane focus, depending on what best fits their chosen flavor.
Multiclassing Example
Suppose a character is a Level 3 Skulker / Level 4 Mage. Here’s how their multiclass spellcasting would work:
- Effective Caster Level: A Level 4 Mage plus a Level 3 non-caster (Skulker) yields an effective caster level of 5 (since non-casting levels contribute half).
- Spell Slots: The character uses spell slots as if they were a 5th-level Mage, providing access to 3rd-level spell slots.
- Spells Known: The character knows spells as a Level 4 Mage, meaning they can only use the spells they have learned from the Mage class.
- Spell List Access: The character can only use spells from the Mage spell list, even if they multiclass into other spellcasting classes.
- Arcane Focus: They may use any arcane focus they choose from the list of Arcane Focus options.
Final Notes
- Multiclassing provides significant versatility but requires careful planning to balance abilities and ensure that both magic and non-magic elements are fully effective.
- Mages’ ability to prepare spells makes them uniquely versatile compared to other spellcasters, but at the cost of needing to track and manage their spellbook. Other casters focus on knowing a fixed list of spells for simplicity and reliability.
- Players should remember that spell slots are a shared resource, while spells known are dictated by individual spellcasting classes, and they do not gain access to spell lists outside of those granted by their original class.
- You can use the tool and table below for more information on spell slot progression:
Spell Slot Tracker
Track your spell slots, known spells, and cantrips easily.
Cantrips Known:
Spells Known:
Spellcasting Progression Table
| Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st Level Slots | 2nd Level Slots | 3rd Level Slots | 4th Level Slots | 5th Level Slots | 6th Level Slots | 7th Level Slots | 8th Level Slots | 9th Level Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 9 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 10 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 11 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 12 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 13 | 4 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 14 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 15 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 16 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 17 | 4 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Multiclassing with a Non-Caster Spell Slot Progression Table
| Level (Character) | Spell Slots (1st) | Spell Slots (2nd) | Spell Slots (3rd) | Spell Slots (4th) | Spell Slots (5th) | Spell Slots (6th) | Spell Slots (7th) | Spell Slots (8th) | Spell Slots (9th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 16 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 17 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 19 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Equipment and Items
Weapons and Weapon Properties
Weapons are a key part of your character's ability to engage in combat. Weapons come in many types, each with unique properties that influence how they are used in battle. The full list of weapons and their properties can be found in the equipment section.
- Damage Type: Weapons deal different types of damage, such as slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. Understanding the type of damage can help in overcoming resistances and vulnerabilities.
- Weapon Properties: Some weapons have special properties like finesse , allowing the use of Dexterity instead of Strength for attack rolls, or reach , extending the range of melee attacks.
Armor and Shields
Armor and shields provide essential protection in combat, increasing a character's Armor Class (AC) and helping to mitigate damage. Different types of armor have varying degrees of protection, as well as requirements for proficiency.
- Light Armor: Offers basic protection without hindering movement, ideal for characters who rely on Dexterity.
- Medium Armor: Provides a balance of protection and mobility, suitable for characters who benefit from both defense and flexibility.
- Heavy Armor: Offers the most protection, but restricts movement and requires significant Strength to use effectively.
- Shields: Increase AC when equipped, providing additional defense at the cost of using a hand.
Adventuring Gear and Tools
Adventuring gear includes a wide range of items that can assist in exploration and survival, from ropes and lanterns to grappling hooks and tents. Tools, such as thieves' tools or artisan's kits, allow characters to perform specific tasks.
- Explorer's Pack: Contains essential gear for wilderness exploration, including torches, rations, and rope.
- Tools: Tools grant proficiency bonuses when attempting related tasks, such as lockpicking with thieves' tools or brewing potions with an herbalism kit.
Magic Items and Attunement
Magic items are powerful artifacts that provide unique abilities and bonuses to the characters who wield them. Some items require attunement, which means the character must form a special bond with the item to use its magical properties.
- Attunement Limit: A character can only be attuned to three magic items at a time. This limit encourages players to choose carefully which items they want to bond with.
- Types of Magic Items: Magic items range from weapons and armor that provide enhanced abilities to wondrous items with special effects like invisibility or flight.
Wealth and Currency
In Shattered Realms, wealth is measured primarily in gold pieces (gp), along with silver (sp) and copper pieces (cp). Characters use wealth to purchase items, services, and equipment that help them on their adventures.
- Currency Conversion: 1 gold piece (gp) = 10 silver pieces (sp), 1 silver piece (sp) = 10 copper pieces (cp).
- Acquiring Wealth: Wealth can be earned through various means, such as completing quests, discovering treasure, or selling valuable items.
Crafting and Buying/Selling Items
Characters may wish to craft their own items or buy and sell goods. Crafting requires specific tools, materials, and time, while buying and selling involve interacting with merchants and marketplaces.
- Crafting Items: Crafting involves proficiency with appropriate tools and enough time and resources to create an item. Magical items may also require special components or knowledge.
- Buying and Selling: Characters can purchase equipment and supplies from merchants. The price of items may vary depending on location, scarcity, or negotiation through Charisma-based checks.
Social Interaction and Roleplaying
Social Checks
Social interactions often involve skill checks to determine the outcome of conversations and negotiations. The most commonly used social skills are:
- Persuasion: Used to convince others to do something through charm, logic, or diplomacy. Typically rolled when trying to negotiate, gain favors, or get someone to see your point of view.
- Deception: Used when attempting to lie or mislead someone. A character rolls Deception when they want to convince others of something untrue, whether through outright lies or half-truths.
- Insight: Used to understand the motives or feelings of others. A character rolls Insight when they want to determine whether someone is lying, gauge their emotions, or get a sense of their intentions.
- Intimidation: Used to influence others through threats, coercion, or imposing presence. This skill is often rolled when a character is trying to make someone comply through fear or pressure.
Social checks are often combined with roleplaying to create a more immersive experience. Players are encouraged to describe their actions and motivations when making social checks, and the Game Master (GM) can adjust the difficulty or add bonuses based on effective roleplaying.
Rules for NPC Interaction
Interacting with Non-Player Characters (NPCs) is an essential part of roleplaying in Shattered Realms. NPCs can offer information, quests, and assistance, but their reactions often depend on how they are treated and the character's social skills. Key aspects of NPC interaction include:
- Attitude: NPCs have an initial attitude towards the characters, ranging from hostile to friendly. This attitude can change depending on the character's actions, choices, and successful social checks. NPC attitudes are usually categorized as Hostile , Indifferent , or Friendly.
- Roleplaying: Players are encouraged to describe their characters' words and actions when interacting with NPCs, with the GM determining the outcome based on roleplaying quality and relevant skill checks. Good roleplaying can lead to additional bonuses or improved NPC reactions.
- Influence: Factors like the character's reputation, attire, or offering of gifts can influence an NPC's attitude and the success of social interactions. Characters may need to be aware of the cultural norms or preferences of the NPCs they interact with, such as using formal language or acknowledging local customs.
- Reputation: Characters' past actions can affect their reputation with different factions or NPC groups. Reputation can lead to bonuses or penalties when interacting with certain NPCs, depending on whether the character is seen as trustworthy, heroic, or dishonorable.
Using Backgrounds for Roleplay
Backgrounds provide an excellent basis for roleplaying by giving insight into your character's history, motivations, and personality. When interacting socially, players can use their character's background to add depth to their choices and justify actions or decisions.
- Roleplay Hooks: Backgrounds often provide hooks that the GM can use to create compelling story elements. For example, a character with a criminal background might have underworld contacts that can provide information, while a noble might have influence in political circles.
- Personality Traits: Utilize personality traits, bonds, ideals, and flaws from your character's background to inform how they approach social situations and make decisions. These traits can guide your character's behavior, such as being generous with the needy or harboring distrust towards authority.
- Connections: Characters may have pre-established connections based on their background, such as old friends, rivals, or mentors. These connections can be roleplayed to develop the story and provide opportunities for character growth.
Downtime Activities
Downtime activities are actions characters take between adventures. These activities can help develop a character's story, acquire wealth, gain allies, or improve skills. Some common downtime activities include:
- Training: Characters can spend time training to gain proficiency in a new tool, learn a new language, or enhance a skill. Training typically takes several weeks and may require a mentor or teacher.
- Carousing: Spending time in social settings to make new friends, gather information, or build a network of contacts. Carousing can lead to new allies, romantic interests, or rumors that can be useful in upcoming adventures.
- Crafting: Characters can craft items, such as potions, weapons, or magical trinkets, assuming they have the appropriate tools and materials. The time and cost for crafting depend on the complexity of the item.
- Research: Characters can spend time researching topics of interest, such as arcane lore, historical events, or information about a specific enemy. Research requires access to a library, sage, or other resources and can provide valuable insights.
- Relaxation: Characters may spend time resting and recuperating to remove lingering effects, such as exhaustion, or to regain mental focus. Relaxation can also be used to engage in personal hobbies or family matters.
Resolving Social Conflicts
Social conflicts can occur when two or more parties have competing interests, such as negotiations with opposing factions or attempts to deceive a wary NPC. Resolving these conflicts often involves a combination of roleplaying, skill checks, and GM adjudication.
- Opposed Checks: Social conflicts may involve opposed skill checks, where the character's skill roll is contested by an NPC's roll. For example, a character's Deception might be contested by an NPC's Insight. The higher roll determines success.
- Compromise: In some cases, a compromise may be necessary to resolve a social conflict. The GM can offer possible outcomes based on the success of social checks and the character's roleplaying efforts. Negotiating a middle ground can prevent escalation or create a temporary truce.
- Consequences: Social conflicts may have lasting consequences on the game world, such as gaining an ally, making an enemy, or causing a shift in the political landscape. Players should be aware that their words and actions during social conflicts can have far-reaching impacts, influencing future storylines and relationships.
- Complex Social Encounters: For more intricate social interactions, the GM might create multi-stage social challenges where players need to succeed on a series of checks to reach a desired outcome. Each success or failure could change the dynamic of the encounter, potentially opening new options or closing others off.
Resolving social conflicts often requires creativity, adaptability, and a good understanding of both your character's strengths and the motivations of the opposing party. Roleplaying and effective use of social checks can greatly enhance the experience, creating memorable and dynamic storytelling moments.
Exploration and Environment
Travel and Movement
Traveling in Shattered Realms involves planning routes, dealing with terrain, and managing resources like food and water. Movement speed depends on terrain, weather, and the characters' condition.
- Travel Pace: Characters can travel at a fast , normal , or slow pace. A fast pace covers more ground but makes it harder to spot threats, while a slow pace allows for stealth and careful navigation.
- Marching Order: The marching order determines who leads the group and who watches the rear, which affects perception of threats and how encounters are handled.
- Encounters: Random encounters can happen during travel. The GM can roll for encounters to see if the party meets hostile creatures, discovers points of interest, or encounters environmental challenges.
Vision and Light
Vision and light play a significant role in exploration, especially in dark environments like caves or dungeons.
- Darkvision: Many races, such as elves and dwarves, possess darkvision , allowing them to see in dim light as if it were bright and in darkness as if it were dim light.
- Light Sources: Characters without darkvision must use light sources, such as torches or lanterns, to see in dark areas. Light sources have a specific radius, defining the area of bright and dim light they provide.
- Obscurement: Conditions like fog, heavy rain, or darkness create areas of light , partial , or heavy obscurement , which can impose disadvantages on perception checks and attacks.
Hazards and Obstacles
During exploration, characters may encounter natural hazards and obstacles that pose challenges.
- Rough Terrain: Areas with rocks, undergrowth, or other obstacles count as rough terrain , reducing movement speed and making travel more exhausting.
- Natural Hazards: Hazards such as quicksand, rockslides, and sudden drops can challenge the party and require skill checks to navigate safely.
- Environmental Effects: Extreme temperatures, poisonous gases, and powerful winds can all present challenges that require Constitution saving throws or other checks to resist negative effects.
Foraging, Resting, and Camping
Characters need to manage their resources while exploring, including finding food and setting up safe places to rest.
- Foraging: Characters can attempt to find food and water by making Wisdom (Survival) checks. The difficulty of the check depends on the environment, and success provides enough sustenance for the party.
- Short and Long Rests: Resting is essential for recovery. A short rest lasts at least one hour and allows characters to spend hit dice to regain hit points, while a long rest restores more hit points and abilities but requires at least eight hours of rest.
- Camping: Setting up camp involves finding a secure location, lighting a fire, and assigning watch shifts to prevent ambushes. Failure to set a watch can lead to surprise attacks during the night.
Traps and Environmental Effects
Traps are often found in dungeons, ruins, and other dangerous places, posing challenges for adventurers.
- Detecting Traps: Characters can use Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) to detect traps before triggering them. The DC to detect a trap varies based on its complexity and concealment.
- Disarming Traps: Once detected, traps can often be disarmed using Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) checks. Failure to disarm a trap may trigger its effects, requiring saving throws to avoid damage or other consequences.
- Environmental Effects: Dangerous environments, such as collapsing ceilings, floods, or lava flows, can impose immediate threats that characters must respond to with quick thinking and agility.
Creating Adventures
Creating adventures in Shattered Realms involves developing engaging settings, designing challenges, and building story arcs that captivate players. Whether focusing on exploration, combat, or social interaction, an adventure should present meaningful choices and risks.
- Plot Hooks: Use plot hooks to draw players into the story. These can include mysterious events, requests from NPCs, or ancient artifacts that need to be recovered.
- Challenges and Rewards: Balance challenging encounters with appropriate rewards to maintain player interest and satisfaction. Rewards may include magic items, treasure, or story advancement.
- Player Agency: Allow players' choices to influence the story, creating dynamic adventures that feel personal and impactful. Encourage creativity and ensure that decisions have meaningful consequences.
Exploration and Dungeon Design
Designing dungeons and exploration areas requires thoughtful planning to create interesting and rewarding experiences for players.
- Mapping: Create maps that include multiple paths, secret passages, and unique rooms. This encourages players to explore and rewards those who pay attention to detail.
- Environmental Storytelling: Use the environment to tell a story, such as the remnants of a lost civilization, hints of a lurking danger, or clues that lead to future discoveries.
- Challenges and Encounters: Include a mix of puzzles, traps, and enemies to keep players engaged. Ensure that not every challenge must be solved through combat—some may require clever thinking or roleplaying.
Designing Puzzles and Challenges
Puzzles and challenges can add depth to your game by encouraging players to think creatively.
- Logic Puzzles: Include puzzles that require logical thinking, such as arranging symbols in a specific order or solving riddles to unlock doors.
- Physical Challenges: Design challenges that involve physical action, like balancing across narrow ledges or moving heavy objects to trigger mechanisms.
- Interactive Elements: Create rooms or areas where players can manipulate elements of the environment, such as levers, pressure plates, or enchanted statues that react to players' actions.
Campaign Progression and Story Arcs
Campaigns are composed of multiple adventures that build towards a larger goal or theme. Progressing through a campaign requires managing story arcs that keep players engaged over a long period.
- Story Arcs: Develop overarching story arcs that tie individual adventures together. These can include themes like the rise of an ancient evil, a kingdom in turmoil, or a quest for a legendary item.
- Character Development: Integrate character backstories into the campaign to create personal stakes. This helps players feel invested in the story and more connected to their characters.
- Milestones: Use milestones to signify important points in the campaign. Milestones can include the defeat of a major antagonist, the discovery of a significant secret, or the formation of a crucial alliance.
Worldbuilding and the Multiverse Guide for Shattered Realms TTRPG
Worldbuilding and the Multiverse
Planar Travel Overview
Traveling to other planes is a legendary journey filled with challenges, such as supernatural guardians or special requirements. It can be achieved through portals or powerful spells.
Planar Portal Types
Doorways
Portals that appear as visible openings, such as fog-covered arches or enchanted windows, leading to other planes.
Vortices
Naturally occurring planar links, like a volcano leading to the Plane of Fire or the deep ocean leading to the Plane of Water.
Special Locations
Specific places, like circles of standing stones or a sailing ship, that can flicker between planes or exist in multiple planes at once.
Portal Requirements
Finding a Portal
Portals are often hidden in thematically connected locations, such as a mountaintop leading to Celestia.
Guardians
Portals are often guarded by powerful creatures (e.g., genies or titans) to ensure only the worthy pass through.
Activation Conditions
- Time-Based: Opens during a full moon or specific stellar alignments.
- Situational: Opens under certain conditions like clear skies or specific spells.
- Command Word: Activated by a specific spoken word.
- Key Item: Requires a particular item to function as a key, like Sigil’s doors.
Start Your Epic Campaign By Creating A Character.
Welcome to Shattered Realms! This game is designed to align more closely with the Players Handbook power level of Dungeons and Dragons 5e, making it suitable for running campaigns.
Core Links
Extra Links
© 2024 All Rights Reserved | Shattered Realms TTRPG