* Hit die are hits. Damage rolls and hit points do not exist. Instead, a succesful hit takes away one hit dice, which are the equivalent of health points. This would effectivelly equate wizard's and fighter's health as there are no different HD sizes, but fighter types tend to have more HD (see next point)
* Classless. Roll 3d6 in order, then what normally would be your class feats are instead derived from attributes in this basis:
STRENGTH
9 or less: -1 HD (you have always a minimum of 1)
12-13: +1 HD, you can wear plate
14: +1 melee attack bonus, +1 open doors
15: +1 HD, +1 critical range in blunt or 2 handed weapons
16: +2 melee attack bonus, +1 open doors
17: +1 HD
18: +2 melee attack bonus, +1 open doors
strength is also equal to the inventory slots you have before you go encumbered, then you can carry +3 more.
DEXTERITY
9 or less: -1 to thief skills
12-13: +1 to thief skills (1+X chance in 6 to perform Move silently, hide in shadows, pickpocket, etc. Also against saves requiring reflexes you can roll this if its higher than your chance per level)
14: +1 AC
15: +1 HD, +1 critical range with swords or ranged weapons
16: +1 to thief skills
17: +1 to thief skills, you are peak thief by then
18: +1 AC
dexterity measures how much a thief you are. That is why it doesnt get much into missile fire, just a little.
INTELLIGENCE
9 or less: as in 10, but without any bonus. Might be useful for narrative purposes somehow.
10: You have a starting background skill, choose that skill during the game at any moment. It cannot be stealth or combat related. You have a +1 when using that skill or knowledge in any way)
12-13: +2 to any background skill
14: You have an X in 6 chance to produce an item related to your background. On a fail, exhaust this gift until downtime.
15: +2 to a skill
16: +2 to a skill
17: +1 to a skill. You have a second quantum item, see above
18: +2 to a skill
intelligence represents the "technical" part of thieves, more in the specialists LOTFP version. There are some setting established background skills already, like healing, alchemy, bushcraft or trap/lockpicks
WISDOM
9 or less: haven't thought of an appropiate penalty. Maybe there is none.
12-13: +1 to magic skill. It is used to perceive magical auras around, using magical items and casting spells. To do so, fire the spell and roll your skill or under: a success fires the spell instantly (even prior to an incoming attack) and the spell is not lost. On a failure the spell is lost after casting, and it comes off at the end of the round. Being attacked or disturbed impedes you from casting this turn.
14: +1 magic skill, +1 spell. Your first spell! it takes a big roll here to have a character start with spells (16'20% of the characters will)
15: +2 spells
16: +1 magic skill, +1 spell
17: +1 magic skill, +2 spells
18: +2 spells
the spell list is also condensed so there are fewer spells, with some of them being merged into one, and many of them scaling with charisma. For now I am making it on the fly, but will edit to post the final list. As many other things on my houserules, you can start with a non-specified spell and say which one it is during the mid game, but you keep them once you choose them. Personally I think it its fairer for players to choose spells once they are immersed on the context of the game, even if it can be seen as "cheating". It also makes char gen much faster.
CHARISMA
9 or less: -1 reaction
12-13: +1 HD
14: +1 reaction
15: You or your party can re-roll one save per day
16: +1 reaction
17: +1 HD
18: +1 reaction
Charismatic characters with no other abilities have some HD and survival resources on their own to represent their "chosen one" aura. For now I am winging it with the number of hirelings, they never reach high numbers anyways. Some spells increase in effect (duration, effect, etc) based on the reaction bonus, so its a good choice for wizards to have as a secondary attribute.
9 or less: You are a non-combatant. -2 to attack
12-13: +1 HD, +1 to attack with your favored weapon (choose a type at anytime, but stick with it afterwards)
14: +1HD, +1 to attack (all weapons). Your critical hits deal triple damage instead of double.
15: +1HD, +1 to attack (all weapons)
16: +1HD, +1 to attack (all weapons)
17: +1HD, +1 to attack (all weapons)
18: +1HD, +1 to attack (all weapons)
Basically your fighter level. At 18 you stack a +6 combat bonus, which is one less than what a level 10 fighter has. For now this is fine for me.
* Weapon differentiation:
Martial weapons deal a critical on a 20 (x2 hits).
2 handed weapons deal it on a 19-20.
Swords/bows and blunt/2handed weapons increase this range by one based on dexterity/strenght respectivelly.
Daggers have -2 to hit. It is widelly accepted that a range of +2 to hit equates to +1 damage in the common rules, so having one die step less in damage can be translated in the big picture by reducing their to-hit.
Bows have also -2 to hit, to separate them from crossbows which need to be reloaded every other turn. Also crossbows only receive half of your attack bonus.
Hand to hand combat is also at -2, and only deals damage on a succesful "open doors" check
Combat stunts like disarming, etc can be attempted by taking a -2 to the roll. Target might get a save or an "open doors" check to prevent it (whichever is higher)
Armor uses the rules already explained on a recent post (leather +2 mail +3 plate +4, shield +1, helmet +1, being a hero level warrior [combat 14 or over] +1 )
Dual wielding: One re-roll per combat, using the off hand weapon numbers. If the secondary weapon can be used to parry, you can choose an enemy roll landed against you to be re-rolled, keep the best result in both cases.
Using a katana/bastard sword with 2 hands instead of one grants you an extra attack per combat. Once is expended, its out until the "combat music" ends. This is a weird rule I introduced because the main fighter race in the setting is modelled after korean samurais which usually used a single katana and I didn't want them to be mechanically gimped in game for no reason.
* Initiative:
The side with the single combatant of highest HD goes first, they chose which character starts. After every combatant, a member of the opposing side that hasn't acted yet takes its turn, until everyone has done their actions.
Ranged weapons that are readied can be shot reactivelly. Spells can also be cast reactivelly if a roll is passed (see wisdom, above)
* No clerics. Anyone can learn all spells. Turning undead works by forcing a reaction roll, when prompted by any display of holiness (holy symbols, bless/light spells)
* Leveling up looks like table below for everyone, with numbers based on the fighter chart. Im considering lowering them 5% for everyone, as if every character was a fighter with some strength as prime requisite. Saving throws are unified, with situational penalties as I see fit, and they are all done with a d6. I have grown fond of this method and bonuses-penalities feel significantly stronger. In addition save + hd, PCs who level up roll 2d20 and choose two attributes: if they roll over, that attributes increase by +1
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