Shallows/EotWHouserules

The End of the World | Introduction | Characters | House Rules | Missions | Player Notes | Disposition of the Sidereal Shards | Storyteller notes

House Rules

Here are the Houserules I tend to use, reworked to lend to the Theme of this game:

I. Thou Shalt Not Pass Quietly Into The Night

No named character, PC or NPC can be slain outright in a single blow. Any named character who is at –0 wound penalty, and is reduced below incapacitated as the result of a single blow is instead reduced to Incapacitated, and may be subsequently slain by Coup De Gras. (A single dice action with stunt or lethal damage blow.)

II. Thou Shalt Don thy Destiny like a cloak, and so to may it be cast aside.

Resplendent Destinies do not change ones physical appearance. As a reflexive dice action they may be cast off, allowing for a sidereals anima banner and arcane fate to take effect without creating paradox.

III. The Methodology of Secrets is not bound by the twenty and five.

The Specialty for Methodology of secrets is not bound to the abilities. The +3 bonus may be applied to the effect rolls of astrology rolls, damage rolls, etc. So long as the specialty is appropriate. In addition, Systematic Understanding of Everything may be used concurrent with Methodology of Secrets, though no character may receive the benefits of both at the same time regardless of their specialty’s overlap.

IV. Thy manse is thy home and none others

The hearthstones of a manse cannot be used by anyone other than those attuned to a manse. Upon the death of all those attuned to a manse, the hearthstone(s) will go dead. If others attune to the manse, the former stone will shatter and a new one will begin growing.

V. Thou art of Heaven and beyond the frailty of mortals

As sidereals you regularly eat the manna of heaven and are therefor immune to creation born diseases and poisons. Magically enhanced (Including Thaumatergical) venoms are still potentially effective. If you are unable to eat heavenly foods for more than 3 days, this protection wears off. (As such, I anticipate this to be fairly rare. So I may call for a few rolls if I deem it dramatically appropriate. In general though we won't be rolling resistance.)

VI. The motion of fu defies a hunk of metal on one’s arm

Martial Arts attacks may not be made if the user is wielding a shield. (Except those styles where this is explicitly permitted.)

VII. The flows of essence are not bound to traditional forms

A shield bracer creates a force field around the entire body, not a little shield of force. It may be wielded with a conventional shield. It does not affect martial arts attacks. It does not get the magical material bonus or the PC +3 dodge bonus, those are specific to hearthstone bracers.

VIII. Your mightiest blows drive your enemies before you

Stunning and knockdowns are called shot effects, difficulty increased by 1 result based on the normal successes.

IX. Your confidence is derived from your view of the world

You may roll your highest virtue for regaining willpower each day.

X. Render unto the Sun that which is the Sun’s

Players may award stunt bonuses to the ST. A 3 die stunt may officially be redeemed for a cookie, even though said treats are explicitly not on the storyteller's diet.

XI. Your moral compass directs you continuously

A channeled virtue affects all actions for the TURN it is channeled in. You may forego a daily willpower roll to restore 1 use of virtue channeling.

XII. Even Orichalcum may be broken

Any natural soak ratings over 15 (12 for lunars) add hardness for the points between 15-30 instead of additional soak. There is no benefit for natural soak over 30. This hardness does not affect agg damage.

XIII. The weak shrink away from the dawn

The Dawn caste anima causes anyone facing him with an essence lower than his own to take a +1 difficulty to ANY opposing action.

XIV. The way of fire is to dance and leap

Fire dragon form benefits "built from zero" dodges.

XV. A tree must be grown before it may bear fruit

Sidereal Martial Arts must complete a tree before begining or improving any other martial arts trees.

XVI. The hand cannot deny it is of the body, though it share no likeness to the ear

Permanent charms are unaffected by the armor/weapons restrictions normally associated with Martial Arts charms, unless it is specifically stated in the charm descritpiton itself.

XVII. What is good for the goose is good for the gaggle.

When buying artifacts with background points (and background points only.) You may buy theme seperately instead of as a block sum and then splitting them up. They must be at the 3 dot rank or below. Therefor if you want you may spend 3 dots on a Grand daiklaive, 2 dots on hearthstone bracers, and one dot on a collar of dawns freshness. (To keep off all the bllod of course.) This would total the use of 6 background points. Alternatively you may buy higher level artifacts as normal.

XVIII. When a cloak is needed the shorter weave is quickly granted.

When a sidereal is using astrology soley to create a Resplendant Destiny to wear in creation the following may be chosen as automatic. (This does count against the total astrological effects you may have at one time.) No petition required, 1 hour for the entire process and your good to go, Give a short description of your identity, take a 1 year duration, and 1 effect point.