FAQ & Term Glossary

FAQ

General Character Creation

Where do I even begin?

Check out Getting Started and Character Creation!

What is the difference between Coordination and Dexterity?

Dexterity refers to your characters nimbleness, reflexes, balance, etc. This attribute is your character's ability to be light on their feet. This impacts your dexterity based skills and your Reflex defense. Coordination is your characters ability, both mentally and physically, to process information and act upon it. This is what determines how many AP your will have at the beginning of your turn in combat.

What does an asterisk mean next to a skill?

Skills followed by an asterisk are tool-dependent, meaning that you cannot utilize them to their fullest extent without the relevant type of tools.

What is the official order of operations for leveling up?

When leveling up, use the following order of operations.

1. You level up.
2. You take a talent. It cannot be its own prerequisite or trigger itself.
3. You gain the effects of that talent.
4. You increase one of your Attributes by 1.
5. You may decrease one of your Attributes by 1 to increase another Attribute by 1.
6. You gain HP.

Talents, Abilities, and Features

What is a talent?

Talents are one of the things that makes your character unique! Every level (including level 1) you get to choose a talent for your character to give them a unique quality/ability/skill.

Do I need to take a class entry?

While most adventurers gain classes at some point in their career. You do not have to take a class. You could choose to simply keep taking specialization talents and/or magic talents and focus on abilities granted outside of class talents.

What is the difference between a Stack and a Track?

A stack denotes a larger subset of tracks. For example, the Pugilist stack contains the Constitute, Martial Arts, Pummeling, and Wrestling tracks.

What is a Capstone?

Classes also have several talents with the Capstone tag. Capstone talents are especially powerful ways to define your character. You can only ever have one Capstone talent.

What does (X/Rest) mean?

Note that many abilities can only be used a certain number of times and have a recharge. 2/Rest means that you can use an ability 2 times, regaining it when you Take a Rest. Similarly, AWR/Recoup means that you can use an ability a number of times equal to your AWR, regaining all expended uses when you Recoup. You can always use an ability at least one time, even if your relevant attribute is 0 or less.

If my feature or ability recharges based on my attribute, and that attribute is zero, does that mean I can't use it?

You can always use an ability at least one time, even if your relevant attribute is 0 or less.

What does "magical ability" refer to?

This is our term to encompass spells, chants, prayers, cantrips, invocations, etc.

Gameplay

What is AP?

AP or Action Points determine how much you character can do during a round of battle. Each character starts with 3 AP which can be increased with the Coordination Attribute. Each round you perform Actions and detract them from your AP total. You are allowed to hold over AP = 1/2 your level + 1 (Rounded up) that you can use towards Reactive Actions, if you have them, or add into your pool for the next turn. You can read more in Action Points.

Is there a limit to the number of spells/attacks I can do per turn?

The only thing that limits the number of spells or attacks you do is the cost. As long as you have the AP/SP in order to do that action, you can do it during your turn.

What is a Magic Attribute?

Your magic attribute is the attribute that you use when casting magic.

How do I know my Magic Attribute?

Your magic attribute is determined by your magic entry talent, your class entry talent, or another talent.

If you you have multiple talents that give a magic attribute, follow the following rules to determine what your magic attribute is.

1) Class entry talents always take highest precedence. Other talents take lower precedence than class entry talents, but higher precedence than magic entry talents. Magic entry talents take lowest precedence.

2) If you have two or more talents that hold the same amount of precedence (such as two magic entry talents or two class entry talents), then you may choose which one of those talents determines your magic attribute. You may reselect which one you choose each time you level up.

Note: If you can use multiple Sources of Magic, then you choose one source to be your Primary Source. You can change this choice each time you level up, if you wish. All magic that you cast uses the magic attribute of your Primary Source, but halves your magic attribute when casting magic from a source that is not your Primary Source.

Does Magic do anything unique on a critical hit like weapons?

Magic attack critical hits automatically hit like weapons, but they do not gain the additional damage as weapons do. If a spell has an effect on a crit it will be stated within the description. Note: One exception to this is Arcane Source Magic. If you crit on an Arcane spell, you reduce the SPC by 10. If it costs less than 10 SP, than you expend no SP.

If a duration says 30 seconds, does that mean it ends at the beginning or end of my turn?

Duration always ends at the end of the casters turn unless noted otherwise. So in this example, the magic effect would end at the end of your turn after 3 rounds (30 seconds).

If a condition doesn't have a duration, how do I know when it ends?

If a condition does not specify a duration, or a way to resolve it (such as spending AP to stand from Prone), it lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn.

Does my Undead lineage character count as having the undead tag?

Creature tags are used only for creatures and NPCs. Creature tags do not apply to your Player Character unless there is a talent or ability that specifies otherwise.

If a feature or talent gives me access to a magical ability and does not specify an attribute, what do I use if I do not have one?

Typically for all magic you use your magical attribute. Everything that gives access to magic that needs an attribute to cast or attack should specify one to use in the case that you do not already have one. However, if one is not listed, it is up to your MC to decide what fits your character best.

If my talent recharges END/Rest, but I have 0 END, can I use it?

Yes! All rechargeable abilities can be used one time, even if your relevant attribute is 0 or less.

Since creatures do not have a LUCK stat, can they crit?

Yes! Since they do not have it, you may just assume it is 0. Their weapon and magic crits are treated the same way as a PC, there is just no LUCK to add for damage.

If a creature can use an incantation ability, how does it extend those abilities?

To extend an incantation, a creature must expend one creature action on its turn.

If I upcharge a ritual, does it cost SP?

Yes. To upcharge any magic you must spend the listed cost.

Lore

What is Ancerra?

Many lineages, backgrounds, professions, class options, and magic abilities may reference Ancerra. Ancerra is the primary planet in MythCraft’s current default campaign setting.

Glossary

Ability. A benefit you gain that has limited uses or must be activated. This may involve spending AP or Reactive AP. Some abilities are also limited to a certain number of times and might recharge when you Take a Rest or Recoup, for example.

Action Point Cost (APC). The amount of AP required to perform an action or ability.

Action Points (AP). Points used to perform actions. This could involve moving, making weapon attacks, using magical abilities, or using other abilities.

Ally. A creature that shares a common goal, purpose, or objective with you.

Ancerra. The primary world in the official MythCraft campaign setting. You can read more about Ancerra in the MythCrafter’s Guide.

Anticipation (ANT). Reflects your skill at instinctively intuiting a threat before it hits you.

Area of Effect (AOE). Magical abilities or attacks that target a line, cone, or radius, hitting each creature or object in that area.

Armor. Worn clothing with protective capabilities. Armor affects your AR and may modify your physical and mental defenses as well.

Armor Rating (AR). Your physical capacity to block or avoid direct hits using armor, mastery over weapon fighting styles, and the like.

Attack. Utilizing a weapon or magic to target another creature or object. For an attack, roll 1d20 and add the relevant attribute and any modifiers.

Attribute Points. Points used to increase your Attributes. The more points you have in an attribute, the better you are at it. A creature with 0 in an attribute is average, no better or worse in that attribute than a typical humanoid.

Attributes. Characteristics that represent how good a creature is at something. Heroes have eight attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Awareness, Intellect, Charisma, Luck, and Coordination.

Awareness (AWR). Measures your skill at observing and interpreting the world around you.

Benefit. You might gain benefits from lineage features, talents, your profession, or another source. Passive benefits are always applied to your character and do not require activation. A permanent bonus to a defense or the ability to see in darkness are examples of passive benefits.

Background/Occupation/Profession (BOP). These are aspects of your character outside of who they are when they are adventuring. Your background, occupation, and profession give you unique sets of Skill Points and give your professional ranks.

Cantrips. Magical abilities from the Arcane Source. They cost 0 SP and can be used as many times as desired.

Catch your Breath. Spend 5 minutes doing little to no activity. After Catching your Breath, a creature that was at 0 HP regains 1 HP. You do not gain Death Points during this time.

Chants. Magical abilities from the Occult Source and the Primal Source. They cost 0 SP and can be used as many times as desired.

Charisma (CHA). Reflects your personal magnetism and your ability to sway people to your views.

Class. Groups of specialized talents that allow you to focus on a specific play style. Berzerker, cleric, mage, and ranger are each examples of classes.

Concentration. A psionic spell with this tag requires you to focus exclusively on it.

Condition. Effects that might be imposed during combat that work in your favor or against you. Some conditions are purely beneficial for you (such as Focused or Rallied), while others are solely detrimental to you (like Dazed or Frightened). Others can work for you or against you depending on how you utilize them (if you are Prone, you are harder to hit with ranged attacks but easier to hit with melee attacks).

Conjuring. A spell with this tag must be cast over multiple turns.

Coordination (COR). Represents your overall ability, both physically and mentally, to process information and act upon it.

Creature Traits. Specific mechanical bonuses that creatures might have. The complete list of traits and their mechanical benefits can be found in the Creature Compendium.

Critical Damage. When you crit with a weapon attack, you deal the maximum possible damage that you could deal, then roll your damage dice again and add that to the total critical damage. You also add your LUCK to critical weapon damage. When you crit with a magical ability, you roll your normal damage dice and add LUCK.

Critical Fail (Crit Fail). A roll of a 1 on 1d20. When you crit fail on an attribute check, you achieve the worst possible outcome for what you were intending. When you crit fail on an attack, you automatically miss.

Critical Hit (Crit). When you roll a 20 on 1d20. When you crit on an attribute check, you achieve the best possible outcome for what you were intending. When you crit on a weapon attack, you automatically hit and deal critical damage.

Critical Range. The number or numbers you must roll on a 1d20 to achieve a crit. Your crit range can never exceed 16-20.

Damage Reduction (DR). DR allows a creature to reduce all damage except the types of damage specified in the ability.

Damage Threshold (DT). Typically reserved for inanimate structures or incredibly large creatures. DT means that a target only takes damage if the damage is equal to or greater than the DT number.

Dark Power. A negative consequence of casting magical abilities from the Occult source.

Darkvision. Allows you to see in darkness out to a certain number of feet specified by the source of Darkvision. This does not work in magical darkness unless the Darkvision is specifically magical.

Death Points. How close a character is to death. When you reach eight Death Points, you die.

Dexterity (DEX). How light you are on your feet.

Endurance (END). Your capacity to withstand harsh external conditions and endure long-term physical strain.

Essence. The metaphysical matter that comprises a creature’s soul or spirit.

Feature. A benefit you get as a result of your lineage.

Fortitude (FORT). Demonstrates how good you are at enduring punishing environments and effects, such as the intense heat of a fireball.

Gesture. A magical ability with this requirement necessitates gesticulation to use.

Hit Points (HP). An abstract number representing how healthy a creature is. When they reach 0 HP, a creature begins dying.

Immune. Makes a creature impervious to the specified type of damage, disease, poison, or condition.

Incompatibilities. Some talents and features have incompatibilities. You cannot take that option if you have one of its incompatibilities.

Intellect (INT). Determines how good you are at processing information and recalling it accurately when needed.

Incantation. An occult magical ability with this tag can be prolonged by spending more AP.

Invocations. Magical abilities from the Primal Source and the Psionic Source. They take at least 10 minutes to cast but can have powerful effects.

Lineage. Your species or ancestry. Human, halfling, and dwarf are each examples of a lineage.

Line of Effect. A magical ability with this requirement necessitates that you can draw a clear line to your target, unobstructed by any physical barriers.

Line of Sight. A magical ability with this requirement necessitates that you can draw a clear line to your target, unobstructed by any obscuring phenomena.

Logic (LOG). Demonstrates your skill at thinking clearly under duress and might be used when a creature attacks you with enchanting magic that might charm or frighten you.

Low-Light Vision. Allows you to see in low-light or dim light out to a certain number of feet.

Luck (LUCK). Sways fate in your favor.

Magical Abilities. This is the umbrella term for all types of magic: spells, cantrips, chants, prayers, invocations, rituals, and manifestations.

Magic Attack. Roll 1d20 and add your magic attribute.

Magic Attribute. The attribute you use while casting magic from any Magic Source.

Magic Item. A weapon, armor set, or miscellaneous item with magical properties. Equipping a magic item requires Essence.

Magic Power. A number representing your overall experience in a magic source.

Magic Source. A magic source refers to one of the Five Sources of Magic: Arcane, Divine, Occult, Primal, or Psionic.

Maneuvers (Basic). Actions that any hero or creature can take in combat.

Maneuvers (Advanced). Actions that a hero or creature can take in combat if they have learned that maneuver through a talent, feature, or another source.

Manifestations. Magical abilities from the Psionic Source. They are spells, but with certain aptitudes they cost the caster 0 SP and can be used as many times as desired.

Melee. Denotes a range within your physical reach.

Mental Defenses. Anticipation, Logic, and Willpower. These defenses represent a creature’s mental acumen.

Mounted Creature AP (MCAP). Points used while riding a mount. By default, you can only spend MCAP to let a creature move or use the Dodge maneuver.

MythCrafter (MC). A special player who runs the game for the other players. The MC is responsible for playing the monsters, allies, and enemies in a game, running the story, and serving as a referee.

Natural Weapon. A weapon is something like claws or teeth that is always on your person. These are considered unarmed.

Physical Defenses. Reflexes and Fortitude. These defenses represent a creature’s ability to avoid or withstand physical harm.

Player Character (PC). A character played by one of the players at the game table. Commonly referred to as “Heroes” or “Adventurers” in MythCraft.

Prayers. Magical abilities from the Divine Source. They cost 0 SP and can be used as many times as desired.

Prerequisites. Many talents and features have prerequisites. You must meet these prerequisites before taking that option.

Ranged. Weapons or magical abilities that you may use within a defined distance.

Range: Self. An ability that can only affect you.

Range: Touch. An ability that can affect any creature you touch, including yourself.

Reactive AP. AP you can use when it is not your turn.

Recoup. Spend 1 hour doing little to no activity. After Recouping, Bloodied creatures regain 1⁄4 their max HP and remove 1 Death Point.

Reflexes (REF). Your nimbleness and ability to dodge out of the way of some attacks, like a stream of acid.

Repeatable. A tag that means you can take that talent or feature multiple times.

Resist. Resist makes a creature harder to hit with the specified type of damage or condition.

Ritualize. An occult spell with this tag can be cast as a ritual.

Rituals. Magical abilities from the Divine Source and the

Occult Source. They take at least 10 minutes to cast but can have powerful effects.

Shield. An equipped object with protective capabilities. Shields modify your AR and may modify your physical and mental defenses as well.

Shield HP. Temporary health that absorbs damage before normal HP.

Skill. An area of specialization. One’s degree of skill is determined by their Skill Points.

Skill Points. Points you may spend to specialize in a skill.

Special AP. AP that can be used in specific ways as clarified by the source of the special AP. You can only ever have one special source of AP.

Speed. How far you can move.

Speed (Burrow). A unique speed allowing you to burrow through the ground.

Speed (Climb). A unique speed allowing you to climb vertical surfaces effortlessly.

Speed (Fly). A unique speed allowing you to fly.

Speed (Swim). A unique speed allowing you to swim effortlessly.

Spell Point Cost (SPC). The amount of SP required to cast a magical ability.

Spell Points (SP). Points used to cast magical abilities.

Spells. Magical abilities that cost a certain number of AP and SP to cast.

Stack. A series of related talents or tracks of talents.

Strength (STR). Demonstrates your sheer muscle.

Subclass. An individual track within a class. Subclasses allow players to specialize in specific aspects of their class.

Sublineage. Some lineages have evolved to have sublineages. For example, if you are a dwarf, you might be a mountain dwarf, a crag dwarf, or a deep dwarf. Your sublineage gives you unique benefits.

Tactical Advantage/Tactical Disadvantage. Situational bonuses or penalties added to your d20 rolls. These are cumulative.

Tags. A mechanism used to organize talents, magical abilities, creatures, and the like. They have no mechanical significance on their own, but some abilities and benefits may reference tags.

Take a Rest. Spend 8 hours doing little to no activity. At least 6 of these hours must be spent sleeping. After Taking a Rest, a creature regains all their HP and SP and removes all Death Points.

Talent. Talents give heroes unique benefits. You get a talent every time you level up.

Thrown. You can use a thrown weapon as a melee weapon, or you may throw it to attack any target within thrown range.

Touch an Ally. Any ability that says you may touch an ally may not include you as that ally.

Touch a Creature. Any ability that says you may touch a creature may include you as that creature.

Track. A track is a progression of related talents. Each class stack has a series of subclass tracks.

Unarmed. An attack you make without any held weapon.

Upcharge. Investing extra resources to make a magical ability more powerful.

Verbal. A magical ability with this requirement necessitates vocalization to use.

Visual. A magical ability with this requirement necessitates the ability to ocularly determine where the target is.

Vulnerable. Vulnerable makes a creature easier to hit with the specified type of damage or condition.

Weapon. Objects that can be held and used in combat.

Willpower (WILL). Your determination to stay true to yourself.

XdY. This nomenclature refers to a number of dice (X) and the number of sides that the dice have (Y). For example, 1d20 means “roll one 20-sided die,” whereas 2d6 means “roll two 6-sided dice.”