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Increasing Ability Scores

by Martin Johansen

Well, here you are! I've just finished translating it from Danish, so please excuse me, if there are a few bugs. Just ask if something is unclear, comments are welcome. I might add that my players seems quite happy about the rules, but they are not exploiting them!

MYSTARA - Rules for characters to increase their abilities.

When a character initially is created, the DM rolls 5d10 for each of the following prime-requisites in the characters class: (modify them at your own pleasure, this is just my suggestions!)

Table 1

	Priority
	1	2	3	4
Fighters	Str	Con	Dex	(?)*
Priests(Clerics)	Wis	Con	Str	(?)*
Priests(Druids)	Wis	Cha	Con	(?)*
Wizards	Int	Con	Dex	(?)*
Thieves	Dex	Int	Con	(?)*

* The 4th ability is chosen by the DM or randomly by dice.

When a character rises in level, they have to spend at least two weeks of heavy training and concentration to increase their abilities.

For each week the player has to roll 4 con-checks (a 1 means two checks made, 20 equals two checks failed!)

In my opinion, the kind of endurance that is needed during training is directly linked to the characters class and the prime-requisites mentioned above. The players therefore get a bonus to each of their con-checks, depending on their present value in ability number one. (see table 1)

Value	Bonus
01 - 14	0
15 - 16	+1
17	+2
18	+3

Now to the training. I haven't described exactly what the characters are put through during this time, that's up to your own imagination. :)

Notice the number after the VALUE tag!

First period (1.-2. week): The player rolls eight modified con-check

Missed roles
0	Training completed. VALUE : 0
1	One week's extra training with 4 con-checks more. ( -1 penalty on check )
2	Two week's extra training with 8 con-checks more. ( -2 penalty on check )
3 - ?	Two week's extra training. (but the player doesn't need to roll any more check. His character simply cannot keep up!) VALUE : 5

Second period (3rd week): The player rolls four modified con-check

Missed roles
0	Training completed. VALUE : 1
1	One week's extra training with 4 con-checks more. ( -2 penalty on check )
2 - ?	One week's extra training. (but the player doesn't need to roll any more check. His character simply cannot keep up!) VALUE : 4

Third period (4th week): The player rolls four modified con-check

Missed roles
0	Training completed. VALUE : 2
1 - ?	Training completed, just barely. VALUE : 3

CALCULATION OF INCREASE:

Table 2

Prime Requisite	Rise
1 - 5	6d10
6 - 9	5d10
10 - 13	4d10
14 - 15	3d10
16 - 17	2d10
18	1d10 (only fighter-class)

Note: Applied hit points cannot increase above the characters normal maximum!

FINAL RESULT: (remember the value of VALUE? ;-)

0	+2 hit points for next level. Has increased all his prime- requisites mentioned in table 1, including the 4th ability with the number from table 2!
1	+1 hit points for next level. Has increased prime-requisites 1-3 mentioned in table 1 with the number from table 2!.
2	Normal hit points for next level. Has increased prime-requisites 1-2 mentioned in table 1 with 1d10 less than noted in table 2 above.
3	Normal hit points for next level. Has increased prime-requisite 1 from table 1 with 1d10 less than noted in table 2 above.
4	Normal hit points for next level. Has increased prime-requisite 1 from table 1 with 2d10 less than noted in table 2 above.
5	Normal hit points. No increase in abilities.