December Mechanics Update

Hello Avalorians!

The much awaited combat & more update is here, with numerous changes, most importantly affecting evasion and shields, but also a number of other changes. A full list of all updates is listed below.

A massive thank you to both @Vigilance and @Chiaro for helping to make this update possible.

Please note: it may take a day or longer for all changes to be updated on forum pages + plugins ingame.

Combat Mechanics

Evasion:

• The evasion skill no longer simply requires a success, you must roll higher on your evasion roll than the attacker did on their attack roll. A critical success on attack (20 with the dice alone) cannot be evaded.
• A new helper command has been added (/roll evade) which automatically applies the -3 penalty and your DEX: Acrobatics.

Shields/Blocking:

• Normal shield wielding no longer requires a feat.
• Shields are now divided into two categories: small shields (req STR: Athletics 0, STR: Fortitude 1) and large shields (req STR: Athletics +2, STR: Fortitude +2). Listed in the Armour Index.
• Shields no longer act like medium armour; small shields roll a 2d10-3 and large shields roll a 2d10-2; on success (DC12+), all damage is aborbed so long as you have used an action to raise your shield to block on your turn. (again listed in Armour Index)
• Block action with shield cannot be used in addition to Evade action - must use one or the other.
• Shields have a +1 bonus when defending against ranged (not skirmishing) attacks.
• Shield roll is made on all incoming damage unless the shield is destroyed.
• Shields can be used as a bashing weapon, though they are weaker than actual weapons
• Rolls for shield block are /roll block smallshield/largeshield
• Rolls for shield attack are /roll smallshield/largeshield

Armour:

• Light armour req changed to DEX: Acrobatics -1.
• Medium armour no longer has movement penalty; instead has evasion penalty of -1 (Aspect of the Dragon: Scales updated accordingly)
• Heavy armour movement penalty reduced to 1; additional evasion penalty of -2. Req increased to STR: Athletics +3.
• Rolls changed from /roll light/medium/heavy to /roll block light/medium/heavy.

Weapons:

• Flail now does an extra +2 damage to Medium and Heavy armoured enemies, but deals 4 base damage per attack instead of 5.
• Small Blade is now called Small Weapon. Clarified in the description that one of these (or meteor hammer) can be carried for free.

Feats

New Feats (all listed in the Feats Index):

• Polearm Reach: Each turn, the first time a target enters or leaves melee range of a polearm wielder with this feat the polearm wielder may make a free attack against them with a -2 modifier. This does not apply if the target is wielding a greatsword or polearm, and only one reach attack can be made per turn order.
• Harmonized Arsenal: Bladed small weapons now double as throwing knives/hatchets. Throwing knife attacks made with these weapons receive +1 to their aim. Cannot be used on a Lineage Weapon.
• Pounce (Mutant): As a limited action, make an unarmed attack within skirmish range; After doing so make a free movement to a space adjacent to the target.
• Hostile Architecture: User has double efficacy against structures and the inanimate (be that damage or degree of success), on a success felled trees, shot chandeliers, and broken floorboards will never have significant collateral damage, no matter how close they come to allies.
• Waking Dreamer: Closer to the Nocturne than most, you suffer from waking dreams and ticklings upon your hindbrain. A listener to the wakes of the conscious unconscious. Nothing is guaranteed, but anything is possible, you will be privy to whispers faraway, and stirrings of the world; But what is prophecy and what is nightmare? (Feat-owners will be given access to a private channel where semi-prophecies will be given by DMs, in addition to anything extra that may be given during events.)
• Pathworker: Some consider you ‘in tune’ with the roads; Whenever engaging in significant overland travel you seem to always reap some boon, a DM may choose to give you a useful rumour, encounter, bonus, item, positional advantage, or similar when you declare this feat.
• Shield Bash: If you have blocked with a shield in your previous turn, any missed attacks on you allow you to shield-bash your attacker in return; roll a normal shield attack (/roll smallshield or /roll largeshield) with a -2 penalty.

Modified Feats:

• Dual Striker now includes flails.
• Always Ready tweaked: You get a +3 to your initiative. When surprised or ambushed, you lose this bonus but may instead negate any additional received penalties (lost actions, attack penalties, etc.).
• First Strike tweaked: bonus from Always Ready increased to +5.
• Lightning Tag renamed to Whirling Devil: made clear only applies to each unique target you move past
• Death's Dance tweaked: added new bonuses - If an extra death roll is triggered by yourself (self-damage, over-exertion) roll twice and take the higher; Self damage is halved (rounded up)
• LW: Telescoping has been removed (anyone who had it will be automatically refunded the XP).
• Shieldmaster tweaked: improves block roll against unarmed, arming sword, small blade, finesse blade, meteor hammer, whip, throwing knife, or recurve bow: small shield -> 2d10+0, large shield -> 2d10+1

Arcane

Mage Ranks:

• Mage 1 now has 8 feat slots
• Mage 2 now has 5 feat slots; hindrances remain the same
• Mage 3 now has 3 feat slots; hindrances remain the same
• Mage 4 now has 1 feat slot; hindrances remain the same
• There is now a mandatory minimum of 1 month from previous rank-up to request the next rank-up.
• Mages who are Mage 3 or higher are now able to create new Mage 1s under their patron. Though this does not strictly require permission, creating several mages without at least conferring with your patron or actively sparking mages that are against your patron may result in punishment.

Medium/Discipline Changes:

• Mages are no longer restricted from picking the opposite branch of their patron. They are now able to pick any branch (temporary change before larger arcane reworks are complete).

Patrons:

• The next Patron will be an Artifice/Force patron, and will be revealed around the new year.

New Hindrance:

• Glissandi: A tempo, ever marching, it never leaves you and never repeats; within two turns, you cannot use the same exact action more than once; Dash, Hide, and Evade may only be used once each. Each spell and ability are considered unique from each other; each type of weapon and consumable is considered unique (i.e. can't use the same type of consumable or same type of weapon twice).

Misc (Plugins)

• Messaging users in-game now plays a sound (the painting breaking sound) to alert the recipient
• Arcane Bloodline feat-holders now have the ability to pick a cantrip in-game and use the /cast command